Isobel
by Bluedrgn52
Summary: You might go WTF at first, but it'll all be explained. Don't worry. I made up a few characters and it's an AU. It's set right after the series ends. Issa is Sheppard and McKay's kid, but they don't know it. Is she awesome or does she doom them all?
1. Chapter 1

Title: Isobel  
Author: bluedrgn52  
Pairing: Eventual McShep, Isobel/Arik (my characters), Implied Carter/O'Neill and O'Neill/Jackson (but I wouldn't classify it as a cross over really, I shortly borrowed them and a few SGA characters through out the story, but they're kinda background.)  
Rating: Eventually MA, but this is pretty much set up and innocent.  
Spoilers: It's pretty AU, but I'd say if you've seen seasons 1,2 and 3 you're pretty ok. After that, I blur the lines a bit.  
Word count: 31,000 something at this point  
Summary/Warnings: You might go WTF at first, but it'll all be explained. Don't worry. I made up a few characters and it's an AU. I think that's about it.  
Disclaimer: Just borrowing the characters, except for Isobel and Arik, who are mine. :D  
Author's Notes: I really miss Dr. Weir, so she's in this one as the expedition leader still. It's pretty much straight Atlantis AU, but follows the time line from the show.

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Chapter 1

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When Isobel came into being, she knew quickly that she was going to have a problem. She couldn't tell people why she was here. She also knew it was important that she tell them *why*. She didn't know who they were, she just knew that the man with the bright blue eyes and the man with the hazel green ones needed to be told what was happening. All she could do was scream. So she did. A lot.

"We can't keep a baby here Colonel!" she heard a man say.

"She appeared McKay." Another man said, "Out of _thin air_."

"We can't keep her here." A female voice said. "It's too dangerous for a baby to live in this city right now. With the Wraith and everything else, we simply can't."

The man with the green eyes left, leaving blue eyed McKay and the woman with her. She opened her mouth and screamed.

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_One Year Later_

A child who looked about the age of 5 ran down the hallway, escaping the man she called Daddy.

"Isobel come back here now!" He yelled.

"Daddy daddy daddy!" Issa chanted. "You can't catch me!"

Daddy came up behind her and swung her in the air right as the door opened. "Momma." Issa said softly.

"Jack, put her down." Mommy said.

"Sorry Sam. We were having some fun." Daddy said.

"I didn't break anything." Issa said quietly.

"I know baby." Mommy said.

Issa spaced out for a minute and when she came back she said, "We have to leave here soon."

"Another one hun?" Jack said roughing up her hair.

"Yes." Issa said. "Soon. This week. I just wish I could remember why it was so important."

"Okay baby. Where to now?" Sam said. Jack went into the study and pulled out the globe.

"Hmm. We haven't been to Florida in a while." Jack said.

"That'll work. We have a house on base there." Sam said.

"I want to go to Disney World." Issa said, putting her thumb in her mouth.

"Nap time kiddo." Sam said picking her up.

"Okay Mommy." Issa said cuddling into her mother. "Can I sleep in your bed?"

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_Almost Two Years After That_

"Isobel," the teacher said, "Can you answer the question for me."

"I'm sorry." Issa said. "Yes. It's 37, which also happens to be a prime number."

"Very good." The teacher moved on. Math was so easy. Issa wished the teachers actually could teach her things she didn't already know, but apparently they either didn't know how or didn't believe she would be able to understand it. Thankfully, Mommy taught her more than the schools did. Daddy said school was just an illusion.

Issa went home and sighed. She was tired of moving around. Every other month they were moving. She grew too fast. She knew that she wasn't normal. She also knew that no other kids she had become friends with would stay that way for long, because she was going to grow up. She just aged too fast to keep friends. Her only friends were Mommy and Daddy. And she had her own reservations about them. She'd talk to them that night.

She got home and opened the cupboard and grabbed an MRE. She ripped it open and ate it. Why she liked them she didn't know. She ran her hand down on her wrist. The black band was there, but she couldn't remember why. When she was smaller, she had it on her ankle. She couldn't remember them. All she could remember was that she was supposed to tell them something and it was important. She didn't know what or why though. It was slipping away.

Dad walked in the door right as Issa cried out in pain. She fell to the floor and Daddy was right there, cradling her like he always did. Issa grew suddenly, and she looked to be the age of 15.

"Shit." Jack said.

"We need to move again, don't we dad?" Issa noticed her voice was different. Not as much of a child's voice anymore.

"Yeah. We do." Daddy said. "I'll call Sam."

Issa just sighed.

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They moved to Colorado this time. Issa didn't like it as much because they weren't near water. She loved the ocean. She couldn't place it, but it made her feel so much more at home than anywhere else.

"Mom." Issa said as Sam walked in her room, carrying the shopping bags they had purchased to give Issa some new clothes.

"Yeah baby?" Sam said.

"How come I don't really look like you or Daddy?" Issa asked.

Sam sighed and sat down. "It's a long story."

"Was I adopted?"

"Sort of." Sam sat down. "We should have Jack in on this too." Sam said softly.

"Just tell me mom. I can handle it."

Sam looked at her oddly and Issa wondered why she looked at her with fear. She had never feared her before. Why now?

"You're not from your dad or me. We're kind of like a surrogate family. We were given guardianship of you shortly after you were born." Sam stated, then tucked Issa's hair behind her ear.

"Who was I born to?" Issa asked.

"We don't know." Sam said.

"Why do I grow up fast?" Issa asked next.

"Again, we don't know." Sam said.

"What do we know?" Issa asked impatiently, her hands crossed over her chest.

"I can't tell you all of it. But we know where you came into being. We know who found you. We know that you're engineered to grow up quickly but we don't know WHY." Sam said.

"Why are you afraid of me mom?" Issa asked her.

"Well, there was once a woman in a similar situation. Her name was Adria. She was very bad." Sam said. "She wanted to rule the universe."

"What? Out of some comic book?" Issa asked snorting.

"No." Sam said. "Jack will help me when he gets home. Can we just wait?" Sam asked.

"Sure mom. We'll wait. It can wait a while longer." Issa sighed. At least they answered her questions. "I'm not bad mom."

"I know honey." Sam said and gave her a hug.

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Issa walked down the hallways to the SGC. It looked familiar. Somehow. She just didn't remember why. She knew though, this wasn't where she was supposed to be. She was due to grow up again in another month or so. She didn't want to keep doing this. She didn't know if it was going to stop or not.

She took the tests that they gave her. She knew she passed them. They were child's play. Things she had known since she was the appearance of 5 or so. In reality, she was only 4 years old. She looked like she was 15.

"Did she pass?" She heard her daddy talking to someone else and paused outside of the open door.

"Jack, she passed with flying colours." The other man said.

"Daniel, she's not Adria." Jack said.

"But why was she sent here? WHO sent her here?" The man named Daniel asked.

"We don't know, but she's not evil. We would have noticed." Jack said.

"I just don't know if it's a good idea to send her to Atlantis or not." Daniel stated.

Issa's mind flashed colours and sounds. Atlantis. Blue and green hallways, an ocean outside. Atlantis was home.

"We don't have a choice. They're sending her." Jack said. "After the next cycle."

Issa heard shuffling and quietly walked away. She kept walking until she found a lab. She probably wasn't supposed to be in there, but she didn't care. It called to her. She went in and found no one there. That was good. She found the object that was calling her and walked over to it. Touched it. It glowed bright yellow, then dimmed back into an orange colour. She ran her hands over a few other objects in the room and they all glowed, but it was more of a blue glow. Something inside her hummed. She knew she was close to understanding now. She screamed out in frustration.

"What are you doing?" Someone asked.

"Nothing." Issa said, stepping back into the hallway and running away to her room.

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"What happened?" Jack asked coming into the bedroom Issa had been assigned.

"I heard you and that guy Daniel talking and I ran away because he said something about me going to Atlantis. I want to go dad, but I didn't want you to know I heard you. Then I went into a lab and I touched something. It felt like … I can't explain it. I just *knew* to touch it. It was almost like it was calling to me." Issa said as she tucked her legs under her.

"You can't wander around here Isobel. There's some pretty dangerous stuff. But Sam wants to see you in the lab you went into. They're analyzing the stuff now." Jack said.

Issa sighed. "Okay."

They walked to the labs and found her mom bent over a keyboard looking completely at home.

"Mom?" Issa said from the doorway.

"Come here hon." Sam said, and wrapped her arm around Issa.

"What's going on?" Issa asked. People were looking at her weird.

"What did you do to this device?" Sam asked holding up the large orange crystal.

"I touched it." Issa said. "Then it glowed and flashed bright yellow and then it went back to glowing orange."

"It's called a ZPM." Sam said. "It's pretty special. This one was depleted. Can you tell me where you touched it at?"

Issa pointed, but didn't touch it again. "There." She said. Sam wrote something down then moved on and catalogued everything else that Issa touched.

"Why is this important mom?" Issa asked.

"To our knowledge everything in this room was out of power." Sam said. "It was all shipped back from Atlantis and deemed useless until we could figure out how to power it again."

"Oh." Issa said, shifting her weight on her other foot then said, "Do I get to go to Atlantis?"

"Yes baby you do." Sam said. "I'll be going with you. Jack has to stay here, but I didn't want to send you alone."

Issa fiddled with the wristband. "Do I know people there?" She asked.

"You do." Sam said, "But I don't know if you'll remember them and I'm pretty sure they won't recognize you."

Issa snorted and pulled her black hair back into a ponytail. "Okay. Well, what can I do to help? I can't go until my next growth period, so put me to use here."

"Well, you can touch some of these things and see if they turn on for you." Sam started, "Then we'll get your help with some equations."

"Great. I'm a light switch." Issa said chuckling.

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"Not only does she have the strongest gene we've ever seen, even stronger than Colonel Sheppard's, she somehow can focus the gene to make the items do what she wants them to do." Sam said, reporting to General Landry.

"Well, they'll want her in Atlantis. Does she want to go?" He asked.

"She does. She wants to go now." Sam said.

"Why?" The General asked.

"Because she said if her aging continues and doesn't level off like Adria's did, she wants to get as much done as quickly as possible for the Atlantis expedition." Sam said.

"I agree. Send her when she's ready. We've got two fully charged ZPMs now thanks to her. I think we can send her a little early." Landry said.

"Thanks Sir." Sam said smiling.

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Issa walked through the gate and as soon as she stepped out, she knew she was home. The smell of the ocean, the hum of the city vibrated in her cells and she knew this is where she was supposed to be.

"Hello." She said to a dark haired man.

"Hi. I'm Colonel Sheppard. This is Rodney McKay," he pointed to a fidgety looking man with bright blue eyes. He looked up from his data pad and waved, then went back to whatever he was working on. She remembered him, "And this is Elizabeth Weir." Elizabeth held out a hand and Issa took it.

"I'm Issa." She said.

"Hello again Sam." Colonel Sheppard nodded his head at Sam.

"John." Sam nodded back.

"Welcome back." Sheppard said. "Though you've grown."

"I do that." Issa said smiling sarcastically.

"I'm going back to the labs while you do your grand tour thing." Rodney said.

Sheppard rolled his eyes. "Don't worry, we'll find him when we get around that way."

Issa took a step forward and the floor lit up.

"That's new." Sheppard said. Issa stopped. "No, keep going."

The hallways glowed beside her, a soothing blue green, the floor lit up the same colous below her.

"Mom," Issa said turning to Sam, "I feel…safe. At home. I belong here."

"This is where you came from." Sam said.

"It explains a lot." Issa said, snorted and continued walking.

"Why isn't the power on throughout the city? You have ZPMs, why aren't you using them?" Issa asked.

"What do you mean we have ZPMs?" Sheppard asked.

"Uhh. Issa re-activated the dead ZPMs on Earth. They sent one through with us." Sam said.

"Not what I'm talking about mom." Issa said. "They haven't even discovered it yet." She sighed. "This is just gonna take a few minutes…" She opened a panel on the wall just as Sheppard was starting to yell out "What do you think you're doing?" Sam stepped in front of him and said "Just let her do it Sheppard. She knows more about this place than ANYONE. You and McKay included."

Sheppard scowled. Issa laughed. "You haven't been there." She said in awe, sitting back on her legs. "How could you not have found it yet? It's right in the systems on the first page of diagnostics on every report."

"Where?" Sheppard asked.

"The storage room." Issa said simply.

"Where is it? And what are you talking about? The first page of diagnostics is always gibberish." Sheppard asked.

"No. It's not." Issa said. "It's coordinates. Of course, they're hidden in case someone who isn't supposed to have the city takes it. But it's not *that* hidden."

"Show me." Sheppard said, then tapped his radio calling McKay back.

Issa shrugged. "Three levels down, below the control room."

"It was flooded when we first got here." Sheppard said. "There's nothing there but an empty room now." He looked disappointed.

"You aren't really that dense are you?" Issa asked and Sheppard glared at her. She was like McKay, only smaller and female. "Do you really think the Ancients would have left everything in the open, and wouldn't have protected their best hope for the city's survival from a flood?"

"Ok. Let's go." Sheppard grabbed a hold of Issa and dragged her down the hallway just as Rodney ran up behind them. Sam grinned. This was going to be an interesting day.

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"What are you on?" McKay asked Issa.

"Nothing." Issa said perplexed.

"You can't do the calculations like that. It makes no sense. It's basic physics. You're not following them." Rodney snorted.

"Only to someone with a brain that's limited." Issa said smirking. "Here. I'll write it out in layman's terms." Issa started writing on the white board again, making her equations simplified. The previous math she had been doing was far beyond just about everything Sam had seen before and she knew Rodney was equally pole axed. Sam could follow what she was writing now, but not all of it.

"See. It's not too hard. You were really close when you did this report. It was just off by a few equations." Issa handed Rodney a tablet.

"This is when I had my super brain from the ascention machine." Rodney said. "You can understand this?"

Issa shrugged.

"Well, ok. Do your thing." Rodney said waving. Sam caught Rodney's eye and waved him over.

"How's she doing?" Sam asked.

"She's amazing." Rodney grinned. "She's improved the power in the city by 65% and is smarter than both of us combined. Though I hate to say that, and I never admitted it." Rodney said quickly. Sam smiled at him. "Not to mention, she can repower ZedPM's with a single touch, and found the Ancient's secret stash of drones and two ZedPM's right under our noses. And she's only been here for three days. Who is she?"

"Wish I knew." Sam said.

"Mom?" Issa said turning around. "Can we have lunch?" she put the marker down. "I'm hungry."

"Sure Iss." Carter said.

"I'll make sure no one touches this." Rodney said.

"Thanks." Issa said and then wrapped her arm around Sam's waist, following her to the cafeteria.

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"So she's smart. So what." Ronon said.

"She's more than smart!" Rodney stated. "She's a flipping super genius!"

They were in the cafeteria eating a late lunch.

Ronon shrugged. "You're smart."

"She's like 10 times smarter than me!" Rodney said quietly. "By even admitting that, I'm letting myself down. But the point is, we can't lose that. Even with everything she's done, she's the only one who can maintain it. So if she leaves, we can't keep what she's doing. Well. Of course, we'll have the ZedPM's, but we can't follow her equations on maintaining power levels as they stand. There's just so much."

"Can she fight?" Ronon asked.

"I don't know!" Rodney smirked. "It's not like I said, 'Here, take this big stick and try to hit me.'"

"I will." Ronon said.

Rodney rolled his eyes.

"Here's your chance." Rodney said and pointed as Issa came into the mess. She grabbed an apple tossed it in the air, caught it and took a big bite. She had a data pad in one hand and was reading as she sat down. Ronon stood up and walked over to her.

"Wanna spar?" He asked her.

"What?" Issa said coming out from her dazed reading mental state.

"Gym. Let's see if you can fight." Ronon said and walked away.

"C'mon. He likes to hit people with big sticks." Rodney said taking pity on her.

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"Don't be too hard on her. She's just a kid." Rodney said.

"I've never fought before." Issa said looking at Ronon. "It can't be *that* hard."

Rodney snorted. "I'll bring you ice packs later."

Ronon threw her a stick which she caught. She twirled it in her hand to get the feel of it right as he attacked. She stepped aside.

"Nice one." Ronon said.

"I don't want you to hit me." Issa said.

"That's the point." Ronon said.

"Got it. Don't get it. Hit you." Issa stated.

"Yup." Ronon said.

Ronon came at her again, and Issa moved out of the way so quickly Rodney blinked.

"How did you do that?" Rodney asked.

"His left foot moved quicker. I knew which way he was going to attack from. I moved the other way." Issa said simply, and then twirled the stick again.

"Come hit me." Ronon said.

Issa gripped the stick and ran quickly up on Ronon. Just as he turned to avoid her, she changed directions, hitting him directly in the stomach.

"She can stay." Ronon said, gripping his stomach.

"What?" Rodney said perplexed.

"No one has ever hit me the first time sparring since I was 15." Ronon said.

"Huh. It's all in the math you know." Issa said.

"What do you mean?" Rodney asked.

"You can see the moves if you put it into math. Then you take the logical choice." Issa said shrugging.

"Whatever works for you." Ronon said.

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Issa was working on equations on the white board a week later when she felt it. The gut clenching pain.

"Get Mom." She turned to Rodney and pleaded before she collapsed on the floor unconscious.

She woke up three days later in the infirmary. She saw Sam sitting next to her and McKay and Sheppard arguing in the doorway. There was a pretty doctor next to her as well. She recognized her immediately.

"Dr. Keller, what happened?" She croaked out, her voice dry and low pitched from three days of disuse.

"You had an episode." Keller said diplomatically.

Issa chuckled. "You mean I got older again. How long was I out?" She turned asking Sam.

"Three days." Sam said. "I was so worried."

"Three days?" Issa asked, "That's the longest I've ever been out."

"We figure it's because of how much you've been using your brain, and when you grew again, it needed more time to recover."

"Am I going to be ok?" Issa asked.

"As far as the Ancients machinery is concerned, yes." Sam said.

"But you don't really know, do you?" Issa asked. She had one hell of a headache.

"Not really." Dr. Keller said.

"Thanks Doc." Issa said, then stood up, looking for a mirror.

"There's one in the bathroom over there." Sam said pointing.

"Thanks mom." Issa said.

Issa walked into the bathroom while Sam went over to McKay and Sheppard. She closed the door and turned around looking at her new body for the first time…again. She was grown. Probably early 20's, and if she did say so herself, she was really hot. Her long black hair flowed to the middle of her back, her blue eyes stood out in the mirror like icebergs. She took her hair band, which was the black wrist band, and flipped it up into a messy ponytail. She inspected her face, there were no lines, and she looked like a perfectly healthy 20 something. She sighed. She wondered how long she'd get to keep this body before she changed again. She stepped out and saw McKay and Sheppard standing next to her bed. She met their eyes and it hit her. She knew her purpose.

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End Chapter One

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	2. Chapter 2

Title: Isobel  
Author: bluedrgn52  
Pairing: Eventual McShep, Isobel/Arik (my characters), Implied Carter/O'Neill and O'Neill/Jackson (but I wouldn't classify it as a cross over really, I shortly borrowed them and a few SGA characters through out the story, but they're kinda background.)  
Rating: Eventually MA, but this is pretty much set up and innocent.  
Spoilers: It's pretty AU, but I'd say if you've seen seasons 1,2 and 3 you're pretty ok. After that, I blur the lines a bit.  
Word count: 31,000 something at this point  
Summary/Warnings: You might go WTF at first, but it'll all be explained. Don't worry. I made up a few characters and it's an AU. I think that's about it.  
Disclaimer: Just borrowing the characters, except for Isobel and Arik, who are mine. :D  
Author's Notes: I really miss Dr. Weir, so she's in this one as the expedition leader still. It's pretty much straight Atlantis AU, but follows the time line from the show.

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Chapter 2

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"The Ancients sent me." Issa said, "But it was an accident. That's why they allowed me to remain."

"So you're telling me you have the memories of the Ascended Ancients?" Sam asked her.

"Simply put, yes. It wasn't activated until I hit full maturity though." Issa said. She didn't mention that to bring her to life, it required a device in the lower levels of Atlantis that both Sheppard and McKay had touched to give her the DNA to take the human form that she was currently in.

"But you still don't know how you popped into being out of thin air?" Sheppard asked.

"No." Issa said. It was the first bold faced lie she told, but she didn't want to get into that right now.

"Are you sure you'll stop growing like that now?" Dr. Keller asked.

"Quite. I'm glad too, because to be honest, it hurt like a bitch." Issa stated. Sam looked a bit shocked at the language, then shrugged. She was a grown woman now. Strangely.

"Are you allowed to remain here?" Sheppard asked.

"If you'll let me." Issa said.

"I don't see why we wouldn't. You've improved so much and to be honest, I can't maintain half of it." McKay stated. Sheppard glared a little at him, he wasn't quite comfortable with a human that was sent, even accidentally, from the Ancient's version of Heaven.

"Sheppard wants to have me quarantined and followed with a military guard." Issa said, then snorted in a very McKay like manner, just as McKay snorted himself.

Sheppard looked at them both.

"Do you?" Weir asked.

"I do." Sheppard said, shifting in his chair. "Can you read minds or something?"

"No. I have a father and a mother in the military. I recognized the look they gave me when I got in trouble at school and had to be contained to my room." Issa said, her eyes laughing. "Daddy always said I should be quarantined and followed. I guess I was." She said frowning a little at her last statement.

"Not in a negative way." Sam said, touching Issa's shoulder.

"No, but you think you could have stopped me if I was dangerous. Just as Sheppard believes he can stop me." Issa said then added, "Unfortunately for him, I don't think anyone here could stop me."

"But you aren't…" Sam started.

"No. I'm not bad." Issa said smirking slightly. "Actually, I'm quite fond of everyone here, and I don't want to see them harmed."

"Good enough for me." McKay said.

"Rod-ney." Sheppard drawled in his best relaxed warning voice.

"Well, it is. I think if she was going to kill us all, she would have already done it."

"She's got a point. Adria was hell bent on killing everyone right from the get go." Sam said.

Weir sighed, and then stated, "I think we can leave her free to roam the city, with a military escort. It's not a bad idea."

"Diplomatic." Issa nodded her head in agreement.

"I try." Weir said.

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Issa walked into the gateroom. She buckled the last buckle on her vest and clipped the P-90 onto it. She grinned. She was going offworld. Not just to Atlantis, but offworld. Territory unknown. Granted, she could probably find the information in her brain that the Ancients had parted to her as she came into existence, but she didn't feel like it. It always hurt a little bit to retrieve information that way, so she only did it in case of emergency.

They were going to a planet that had an abandoned Ancient city. Sheppard's team had been there and not found anything, but they had also been living in Atlantis without knowing that there were 2 ZPMs under their noses. They figured having more couldn't hurt.

Sheppard was at the top of the steps talking with Weir, while Issa was at the gate, waiting for activation with McKay, Ronon and Teyla.

"I still don't like it." Sheppard said to Weir. "She's hiding something. I don't know what it is, but I can feel it."

Sheppard was one of the only people who hadn't warmed to the idea of Issa staying on as staff. She hopped between the Science staff and the command staff, helping them make decisions about which planets would seem the best to go to, which would produce the most technology, and going between the science labs helping them with things that were out of the regular staffs leagues. She also was going through the Ancient database with Dr. Weir, helping her translate.

"Suck it up Colonel." Dr. Weir said, "We need her, regardless of whatever she's hiding."

"So you admit that she's hiding something?" Sheppard said.

"She's got the knowledge of the Ancients in her head. Of course she's hiding something. But I sincerely believe that she's not going to put us in harms way." Dr. Weir acknowledged.

"Fine. But if things go wrong…" Sheppard started. Dr. Weir just patted his shoulder.

The gate flared up behind the shield. Issa smiled at McKay, whom she was talking to. Sheppard strolled down the stairs and turned to wave to Dr. Weir as they passed through the gate.

Issa felt the rush of gate travel down in her bones, and smiled as she exited, watching the wormhole shimmer closed. She grinned widely and turned around to assess their new surroundings.

Sheppard was already walking ahead, following McKay who had a LSD in his hand.

"Still no life signs." McKay said, "But the faint energy readings of the city are in the same direction."

"Good." Sheppard said, and the team fell into an easy rhythm, Ronon falling behind them, Sheppard taking flank with McKay and Teyla walking beside Issa.

"I would very much like to meet your people." Issa told Teyla.

"I'm sure that can be arranged." Teyla replied.

"Did they ever live in the city of the Ancestors?" Issa asked.

"Not in many generations. It was a theory that the city on Athos was haunted by the Wraith. There were stories that every time our people ventured there, the Wraith came. We never got a chance to go there with Sheppard's team before the Wraith culled my people and then we all came to live on Atlantis. It's still abandoned. The planet is empty to my knowledge." Teyla said.

Issa filed the information away as they walked. They passed the five mile hike getting to know one another better. Issa asked most of the questions, though McKay asked scientific ones.

"What was it like to grow up so quickly?" Ronon asked.

"It was strange. Unique. Mom and Dad made existence passable. I did have dreams about Atlantis though. I didn't know what she was at the time." Issa said, "I was always at home around the water, in the cities that I could see the Ocean."

"It must be strange being back where you were born." Teyla said.

"It is, but I feel very much at home." She smiled at Sheppard as she said it, hoping to put a hold on his animosity.

"It is home." Sheppard said, meeting her gaze.

"It is." Issa agreed.

"It's just over this hill. There's always got to be hills." McKay sighed as he started walking up.

"Buck up McKay." Sheppard said.

"Thanks." McKay snarked back.

They climbed the hill and Issa caught her breath at the sight of the city as she crested the top.

"They built many cities from our knowledge of the database. Though most weren't as populated or large as Atlantis, they were still grand." McKay stated. "Makes you wonder about Earth's engineering and what we can learn if their cities stand abandoned for ten thousand years when ours crumble in a few centuries."

"They had different technologies. It was easier for them to mine the alloys they needed. It was easier to repair, and harder to break down." Issa said in a monotone, and then shrugged.

"Still." Rodney said, "It's quite a feet of engineering."

"True. Even the pyramids can't get a handle on Atlantis." Issa said grinning.

They walked into the city and it lit up.

"It's never done that before." Sheppard said.

"My gene is stronger than yours." Issa replied. "And the city has power, it just wasn't activated before."

"ZPM power?" Teyla asked. Ronon grunted behind her.

"Yes. There's one, though it's nearly depleted." Issa replied. "It's not in three tier tower though. It's in the back up room."

"There's a back up room?" Rodney asked. "Where?"

"Off the main tower, three rooms to the left, behind the hidden wall." Issa replied leading the way.

"Huh." McKay replied. "I take it the Ancients had a lot of secret rooms."

"They did." Issa smiled. "You haven't even touched a quarter of Atlantis yet."

"Maybe we should sit down and talk about what we haven't found when we get back to the city." Sheppard said, thinking as a logistical standpoint what they haven't found yet and how much of it could help them out.

"Most of it is storage areas. They may have cleaned out the halls, but they didn't get rid of everything when they left for the Milky Way. They just put it in stasis or storage until they could get back into it."

"What kind of storage?" Sheppard asked.

"Some scientific, some living quarters items. Bigger beds." Issa said, which made McKay groan and give her a look of desperation.

"Bigger beds?" He asked. "I'd love to have a bigger bed."

"Anything we might be able to use aside from furniture?" Sheppard asked.

"In some of them." Issa replied, deliberately vague. She didn't want to tell them about the experimental labs yet, nor the weapons storage or the device which she came to be from. "Mainly it's not worth the look, but there are some areas."

"We'll tell Elizabeth when we get back." Sheppard said again.

"Sure." Issa said and shrugged, walking into a wall. Her head popped out on the other side, "Coming?"

"That's disconcerting." Teyla said.

"I'll stay here and keep watch." Ronon said.

"I will stay as well." Teyla echoed Ronon.

"Wimps." Sheppard said and stepped through. Rodney hesitated for about five seconds before joining him.

"It's like Janice's Secret lab, but without the harmonic resonance from the lights." Rodney said as he stepped though and shivered. He didn't want to go through that again.

"He had several, and more than one in Atlantis. And the doors don't have to be activated, as the power levels are so low, they're shut down." Issa said, "But this one is perfectly safe. It's just the back up room."

She walked over to a panel in the wall and removed the ZPM, the room going dark. They flicked on their flashlights and their radio cracked.

"Are you alright?" Teyla's voice came through.

"We're fine." Sheppard replied. "Issa removed the ZPM."

"Nothing else worth taking." Issa said.

"Should we head back then?" Rodney asked.

"Yeah." Issa said, and walked back through the door.

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On the other side of the gate, Sam sat in the control room with Dr. Weir.

"What was it like?" Dr. Weir asked. Sam didn't have to ask what.

"It was unusual. She would tell us when she was about to grow and we'd get ready to move. The last few times, she didn't have much warning. No more than a few minutes. We tried to make it as normal as possible though. We enrolled her in school, Jack said it would be better. She still had her favourite foods and took naps when she was smaller. She was as normal as any of us, except that she grew up too fast." Sam sighed.

"It's just strange." Dr. Weir said. "I've no bad feelings about her, but with the reports about Adria, I can't help but wonder about her."

"I felt the same way at first, but raising her…well, it taught me a lot about her character. She didn't even know what she was until she came here." Carter stated.

"Which just makes me feel that she's on our side." Elizabeth said.

Sam nodded and the gate flared back to life. Sheppard's team walked through with a ZPM.

"Another one?" Sam asked and chuckled. "Pretty soon you guys will have nothing to worry about."

"It's actually heartening. The science team insisted on investigating the ones she powered up, but they seem to be perfectly normal, just fully charged. I have to admit that I will feel safer with her around." Dr. Weir said, and Sam smiled.

Just then, Issa ran into a figure that was at the top of the steps.

"Dad!" She cried and flew into his arms.

"Hey. You grew again." Jack said.

"I do that." She grinned. Sam joined them and smiled. "I brought a present!" Issa said.

"Another one?" Jack asked, his eyebrow raising and addressed Sheppard. "Looks like Atlantis will sleep soundly."

"You could say that." Sheppard said.

"How long are you here for?" Issa asked.

"I've got a lot of leave stacked up. I can stay for a while. Civilian of course." He nodded at Sheppard.

"We'd be interested to get your opinion on a few things if you wouldn't mind." Sheppard said.

"I can do that." Jack stated.

Rodney took the ZPM from Issa and headed off to the labs. He asked her not to charge it so they could run a diagnostic on it first. She just shrugged and went along with it.

"Issa said she has a few things to tell us about how the Ancients stashed things before they left." Sheppard said to Weir.

"Oh really?" Dr. Weir asked, her eyes lighting up like Christmas morning.

"Most of it is useless, but there are some things that we could use." Issa stated.

"I'd be interested in finding out more about where they hid the good stuff." Sheppard said.

"I never said I'd show you the good stuff." Issa said, swaying up the stairs. "I just said I'd show you the storage." She winked at him and walked into the briefing room.

"Did she just wink at me?" Sheppard asked the room at large.

"She did." Sam replied and smirked, going up to talk to her daughter.

"So how's my girl doing?" Jack asked. "I assume that you have had marines patrolling her?"

Sheppard looked slightly sheepish, but answered, "Yes sir, I have."

"You're a good commander." Jack said and slapped Sheppard on the back.

Shortly after they were all in the briefing room, Rodney brought back the ZPM for Issa to charge and passed it off to Zelenka before they started.

"We now have 5 fully charged ZedPM's." McKay said. "I can sleep so much better."

Issa smiled. "I can get you about 20 of them."

"20?" McKay asked gaping.

"About. It depends on if they're all where I think they are or not." Issa said, falling back into her chair in a very Sheppard like manner.

"So, where are they hiding?" Sheppard asked, sitting up a little straighter.

Issa looked around the room. Sam nodded a go ahead and Jack just raised his eyebrow. Sheppard looked like he was sulking. She figured it was because he was no longer Atlantis' golden child. She chuckled on the inside at that. He had nothing to be jealous of; the city still loved him best. McKay looked as eager as a puppy. Teyla and Ronon looked stoic. She wondered if they were always there, and figured that they were.

"There's several secret rooms in Atlantis. Some hold drones, some ZPMs. Most of the ZPMs were removed before the Ancients left the city. Some remain in storage. There are labs, some McKay will be interested in and lock himself up in for weeks. There are weapons cashes, but I'm not comfortable showing them to you yet." She held up a hand at Sheppard's inevitable protests and continued. "I'm not comfortable showing them to you until I figure out if they're still functional, and even then, the technology is nothing to sneeze at. I'd like to take McKay with me to figure that part out. He'll have to run them if something ever happens to me." Issa said. "I promise I'll give you the biggest guns when I find out if they're safe to operate. It's been 10,000 years since they were last used. There's bound to be some problems and I'm the best one around here to fix them.

"There are some minor weapons that once I do an initial test I can give to you. Some very similar to Ronon's gun actually. Whoever made it probably reversed engineered that type of gun from the Ancient's technology."

"That would be a bonus. The Wraith have those stun weapons, but we have nothing to stun really." Sheppard stated.

"I'd like to get started as soon as possible. Also, the three extra ZPMs should be put into use as back ups. The room is in the same place as the old city we just went to. The harmonic doors won't be active, but you know how to get around that." She nodded at Rodney.

"I can set up a frequency like we did in Janice's lab." Rodney said quickly waving his hand. "Then we can get to the goodies."

"You look like a kid in a candy store." Issa said smiling at him.

"I am. You just told me that the Ancients have a lot of things hidden here we haven't found. Of course I'm excited about it."

"There's also a few panels that you haven't activated that I'd like to go through the city and activate. It will make the transporters more effective and drain less power. It will also open up more of the city to you. You're really only using about a quarter of the city now. With all the transporters fully active, you can find your way around more and find the levels that aren't in the main database. You can feel free to walk around and use interfaces without worrying about power drain now as well. So your scientists should have a lot of work to do. And, of course, you can gate back to Earth at will now." Issa said.

"That could be good and bad." Sheppard said. Dr. Weir just gently smiled at him. They had sort of liked having Atlantis set away from Earth and their rules and regulations.

Issa nodded. "Shall we then?"

"Go ahead. I'd like to talk to General O'Neill and Colonel Carter for a moment?" Dr. Weir asked.

"Sure." They both stayed seated while everyone else cleared out.

"The floor still glows for you." McKay stated as they walked down the corridors.

"She's happy." Issa stated simply.

"She? You sound like Sheppard." McKay said choking back a snort.

"She. Don't you know?" Issa said in awe.

"Know what?" McKay asked.

"Atlantis, she's sentient." Issa said.

"WHAT?" McKay sputtered. "You didn't feel that we should KNOW this little tidbit of information?"

"I thought you knew." Issa said quietly. That was interesting. She wondered how they hadn't noticed. "She was an AI for a while. Then she evolved and _became_ the city. You can feel her if you have the gene, but the stronger the gene, the more you feel her. I can probably talk to her, but it's more with emotions than it is with words. She's just there. When you come back through the gate, she welcomes us all. She was so lonely. I felt it when I came into the city. She recognizes me as an Ancient, so she responds to me differently. But she still loves Sheppard the most. She's gotten to know him the best and she hums around him. I'm surprised you hadn't figured it out."

"And here I thought he was crazy." Rodney said.

"No. She likes having people around, even if they aren't Ancients. She actually thought they were a bit pompous. She likes to keep me happy so that I don't get upset. Truth is, I love this place more than anything else. I wouldn't do anything to make her unhappy."

"It will make me a bit more cautious when I mess with the city now." McKay said.

"It should. She's alive, just not in a way that we are." Issa replied, touching a wall gently and exposing a panel.

"What are you doing?" McKay asked interested.

"I'm re-routing secondary systems to the back up ZPMs. We shouldn't drain the main ones if we don't have to. They're for the big stuff, like the shield, the drones, the chair and the stardrive." Issa replied, carefully rewiring. "Just watch. You'll figure it all out."

"I think I have a lot to learn." McKay stated, slightly dumbstruck.

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Four days later, they were all exhausted. Issa had all kinds of teams running around the city, rewiring, searching, and rescuing caches of stuff the Ancients left behind. The marines that had been patrolling her were called off and she was free to roam where she would. Her parents were offworld, they decided to take a trip with some marines around the Pegasus galaxy. They checked in every couple of hours, but had planned to visit several planets and would be gone for a week or so.

She was currently in the medical labs, sorting through a few cabinets that they had yet to find, and showing Dr. Keller how to properly operate equipment. She showed them the healing device that was similar to the one that the Goa'uld had used. She also showed them a coffin like area similar to a sarcophagus, but warned that it should only be used in EXTREME circumstances, as it was likely to not only become as addictive as the Goa'uld version, but wasn't fully tested. Another Ancient project abandoned. She showed them how to work the scanners to their full potential and initialized half a dozen devices, including automatic surgery devices and things as simple as a machine used to get rid of headaches.

Sheppard walked in behind her. He smiled at her a bit. He'd warmed up to her since she'd given him stun guns.

"Hey." Issa said.

"Hey. Can I talk to Dr. Keller for a minute?" He asked.

"Sure. Just one second." She turned back to Keller. "Just push this one here." She pointed and Keller followed her directions.

"See, that initializes it, and then when you want to turn it off, just hit that one there." She pointed to a different set of buttons. "I'll show you what the rest of them do later on. I'm going to hit the mess. If you're done in time, find me and we'll do lunch." Issa smiled. Keller agreed and turned to John.

"What's new?" She asked him.

Issa walked out the door and John turned to Keller. "I was just wondering if you have the DNA results back yet."

"I'm sure I do. I haven't looked to be honest. Issa's kept us busy in here. She's pulling devices out of the walls. Literally. We had no idea that we weren't using things to their potential. It's been a madhouse in here." Keller went into her office area and picked up a laptop and went through it. "Here we go. It seems that she's…." Keller trailed off. "No, that can't be right. I'll have to run it again. It must have been contaminated."

"Damn." Sheppard said. "Well, run it again and get back to me as soon as you can."

"Sure. Sorry about that." Keller said. "Like I said, we've been a bit busy, it must have been contaminated when we were moving things."

"No hurry. It's just curiosity." Sheppard said then strolled out. Jennifer thought she'd take Issa up on her offer of lunch and headed out herself.

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Sheppard threw the file in front of Issa and stalked away, pacing the conference room which held Sheppard, Issa, McKay and Dr. Weir.

"Want to explain _that_ one? She ran the test three times, on three separate blood samples. It's not a mistake." Sheppard asked as she opened the file. How did he not notice? Her eyes were like Rodney's, her hair was his, and mannerisms were a cross between them both. Hell, just how she sat in a chair should have been a give away. In a way, it was, as it is what prompted him to do the testing in the first place.

"Actually, it's quite easy to explain." Issa said softly, passing the folder to Dr. Weir and Rodney.

McKay opened the file, his eyes huge and stated, "Start explaining."

Dr. Weir gleamed the file and said, "I'd be interested as well."

"There's a device. You catalogued it as D-652. It was from the bottom of the lab in the control tower.

"What does it have to do with this?" Sheppard asked.

"Let her finish, Colonel. Please." Dr. Weir said.

"Well, you both touched it. It's what started my existence. See, I told you I was an accident and that's completely the truth. But when I was formed, the device sampled the DNA from you. The device was another busted attempt at Ancient ascension. However, it didn't quite work the way they wanted it to. Instead of going up, they kind of came down."

"I'm not sure if I'm following 100%." Sheppard said.

"Basically, it requires DNA and it makes a human, but with the Ancient's knowledge. The Ancients have no power to stop it for some reason. I don't really know why." Issa stated frowning slightly. "Anyway, it created me."

"Why did you pop out of thin air then?" McKay asked.

"When I was fully gestated in the device, I was teleported to my parents." Issa said softly. "But you're not. I don't want you to have to worry about that. My parents are Sam and Jack."

"In a strange round about way." Dr. Weir stated.

"They raised me, they're my parents." Issa said, her eyes going fierce. "I only got my looks from you." Issa paused, "And this." She pulled out the wrist band she used as a hair band. "It's been mine ever since I can remember."

"My wrist band. I put it on your leg when you left." Sheppard said. "I really have no idea why I did that."

"Perhaps you knew deep down." Dr. Weir stated. Issa just shrugged and put her hair back up in it, afraid that Sheppard would take it back.

"You have my eyes. And my brain." McKay said.

"I have even better than your brain." Issa smirked at him.

"And you're ok with this?" Sheppard asked Rodney.

"Sure. She's grown. I didn't have to do anything AND she's smarter than me. Sure I'm ok with it." McKay said shrugging.

Sheppard sighed.

"I'll admit it's not the best way for you to find out, but I was trying to avoid a freak out." Issa said. "Guess I should have known it wouldn't work."

"Damn right." Sheppard said, then sighed and rubbed his hands on his face. "Not much I can do about it now, but I don't want this getting around."

"Why do you think I kept it quiet?" Issa asked.

They all sighed.

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"When did you plan on telling all of us about the city being sentient?" Sheppard asked.

"I was about to call a meeting with the senior staff actually. McKay tell you?" Issa asked calmly.

"He accidentally blurted it out when I was coming to get him out of the labs for lunch." Sheppard said.

"Well, you found out only hours before everyone else." Issa said.

"Why did you wait so long?" Sheppard asked.

"I didn't really. I thought you knew. Then I talked with McKay and I got so busy, I forgot. It's not really all that important. You guys have been tromping all over her for the past 5 years; I doubt another couple of weeks are going to make a difference." Issa said.

"That's true enough, but still, we should have been told." Sheppard said.

"I was getting there. So, staff meeting at 0900?" Issa said smirking.

Sheppard couldn't help the small smile. "Yeah. I'll be there." He said as he walked off.

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Issa sat in the conference room. Impromptu meetings called by her seemed to be becoming a habit. She tucked her legs under her in the chair and addressed Elizabeth, Rodney, Teyla and Sheppard. Ronon was hovering by the door.

"Would you please sit down Ronon?" Issa asked. "You make me nervous when you pace like that. It's like watching a damn puma."

"What a puma?" Ronon asked.

"A really big cat." McKay said.

"It fits." Teyla said mocking Ronon. Ronon sat.

"We're here because Issa discovered something that we yet again, have been ignorant of. Issa, just go ahead and tell them." McKay said.

"Ok, so here goes. Once upon a time, Atlantis had an AI. The project, like so many other the other Ancient ideas, went unfinished; abandoned. When they left, they shut it down, thinking that it would be enough to just turn it off and walk away. Well, it wasn't. The AI was programmed to react to anyone with the gene and it got lonely. So it started to integrate into the city itself. It changed the colours of the walls, it made the lights flicker to mimic occupancy. It created its own language. Eventually, she became the city. She just merged with it. She's not a threat, but she does feel. She lit up like a Christmas tree from what I was told when you first arrived through the gate. She was thrilled to have people in her again." Issa paused and cocked her head to one side.

"The thing is," she said continuing, "She responds best to Sheppard. She likes him the best." She grinned at him, "He is like her. Merged. He's not fully Ancient, but he has the gene. I'm more or less like an Ancient. She feels she has to make me happy, so she tells me things. It's more emotions. Flashes of feelings. Sheppard probably has had it happen too, but didn't realize what it was." She looked over at him.

"I guess I probably have." Sheppard said shrugging.

"You've got the strongest gene out of anyone here aside from Issa, so if anyone's feeling the city, it's you." McKay pointed out.

"Thank you Dr. Obvious." Sheppard said. McKay just rolled his eyes and went back to his tablet.

"So anyway," Issa continued rolling her eyes at her genetic parents, "The city likes us. It's happy to have not only people here after 10,000 years, but people who are descendants of the Ancients and who are maintaining her systems. She has gotten to know you over the past 5 years. She likes McKay's banter, Elizabeth's diplomatic skills and the separate skill sets of Teyla and Ronon. She kinda digs that you're from Pegasus. You're the first of your people to see the city. Did you know that? Not even your ancestors got to set foot in Atlantis, but she thinks it's great."

Ronon's expression didn't change, but he had leaned forward, showing he was listening to her. Teyla smiled and felt honored for herself and her people.

"So how does this affect things?" Dr. Weir asked.

"Just remember that you're dealing with something that has feelings. When you blow up part of the city, she feels it. When you raise the shield, or power the star drive, it feels like a head rush to her. When you rewire her, it tickles. Just remember that she's alive." Issa said.

"Can you communicate with her? Do you know where the original AI was set up?" McKay asked.

"I can and I do." Issa said. "Like I said before, it's more of a feeling of communication. I can address her and then talk to her, but it's more or less like I'm talking in my head. Sometimes she responds, showing me emotions. I know where the original interface was, but it's not there any longer. She still has a "brain" but it's integrated now. She's no longer in one place. She's in, on, around the city. She IS the city. I'll still show it to you though, because I know you won't believe me until I have."

McKay smirked and Issa smiled.

"Okay then. Well, anything else you want to tell us?" Dr. Weir asked.

"No today." Issa said with the same smirk McKay had used less than 10 seconds ago.

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"Can you give me that tablet?" Issa asked. Turning around when no one answered, she realized that the room had emptied. She sighed, thinking about getting up and grabbing it and how tired she was. Suddenly the tablet flew into her hand. "Huh." She said aloud.

When she finished up, she walked into the mess hall and got some lunch. Sheppard joked that she had McKay's love of food. She just knew that if she didn't eat a lot, she felt weird and weak. She found Teyla and sat down next to her.

"Hey Teyla, seat taken?" She asked.

"No, please join me." Teyla said with a smile. Issa and Teyla got along pretty well. Teyla was slightly wary of Issa at first, but once she realized that she wasn't going to go crazy and hurt anyone, she eased up and became friendly.

"How is your day going?" Issa asked.

"Well. I have a few days off. Kanan has taken Torren and they are visiting my people. I was going to go, but I haven't been feeling very well lately." Teyla stated.

"I'm sorry to hear that. Have you seen Dr. Keller?" Issa asked.

"I haven't, but I was planning to today." Teyla said.

"I have to go in for my weekly check up with her. I can walk with you if you'd like?" Issa asked.

"I'd enjoy your company." Teyla said.

They finished eating, making light conversation. Issa asked Teyla if she thought Dr. Weir and Sheppard would let her go offworld back to Athos to check out the old city there.

"I don't see why not." Teyla said when they got the infirmary. "We haven't been there since my people evacuated it, but we didn't believe the Wraith were going to make a base there."

"Maybe we can set that up for when you're feeling better." Issa said. Teyla nodded and Dr. Keller walked in.

"What can I do for my two favourite women?" Keller asked.

"I need my weekly bloodletting." Issa stated rocking on her heels.

"Go ahead and sit behind curtain two. I'll have a nurse come by in a minute." Dr. Keller said.

"Fun." Issa said, but went off.

"I am feeling a bit under the weather." Teyla said.

"C'mon back, let's have a look."

Keller and Teyla disappeared and Issa rolled up her sleeves and prepared for the vampiric nurse to come in and suck her dry. She had a power bar in her pocket, left over from lunch to eat afterwards so she wouldn't get dizzy. Keller always took too much damn blood.

She hummed as she was waiting for the nurse. The walls glowed along with her as she hummed. It was a game that the city seemed to like playing. She was always trying to glow a different colour with each octave change, before Issa actually changed the tone.

She picked up a roll of bandages that were sitting on the tray next to her. Humming to herself, she looked around the city. She lost herself for a minute, but quickly came back when the nurse opened the curtain and screamed at her. Issa realized why when she looked down and saw that the bandages were hovering in her hand, rotating in a fast circle. Whoops. She put it down like nothing happened as Dr. Keller came running in, the nurse dragging her behind her.

"It was floating, and spinning!" The nurse hissed.

"Issa?" Dr. Keller asked, pushing the curtain aside. The nurse eyeballed the bandages that were now sitting back on the tray innocuously.

Issa just smiled at Dr. Keller and the nurse. "I think we're going to need more than the standard tests today." Issa said with a smirk. "Apparently, I've developed telekinesis."

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End Chapter 2

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	3. Chapter 3

Title: Isobel  
Author: bluedrgn52  
Pairing: Eventual McShep, Isobel/Arik (my characters), Implied Carter/O'Neill and O'Neill/Jackson (but I wouldn't classify it as a cross over really, I shortly borrowed them and a few SGA characters through out the story, but they're kinda background.)  
Rating: Eventually MA, but this is pretty much set up and innocent.  
Spoilers: It's pretty AU, but I'd say if you've seen seasons 1,2 and 3 you're pretty ok. After that, I blur the lines a bit.  
Word count: 31,000 something at this point  
Summary/Warnings: You might go WTF at first, but it'll all be explained. Don't worry. I made up a few characters and it's an AU. I think that's about it.  
Disclaimer: Just borrowing the characters, except for Isobel and Arik, who are mine. :D  
Author's Notes: I really miss Dr. Weir, so she's in this one as the expedition leader still. It's pretty much straight Atlantis AU, but follows the time line from the show.

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Chapter 3

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Six hours of tests later, Issa sat down back in the conference room. She was glad that her parents had been recalled from offworld to hear this one. She didn't want to have to explain it twice. Sitting next to her on each side were Jack and Sam. Next to Sam sat Sheppard and McKay, Teyla, Ronon, Dr. Weir and Dr. Keller next to Jack. It made a nice tidy circle.

"After strenuous tests, including a brain wave scan, we came to the conclusion that her newfound…talent…isn't hurting her." Dr. Keller said.

"What is the extent of it?" Dr. Weir asked.

Issa concentrated and all of the tablets in the room flew up and hovered in the room for a minute before gently floating back down to the table. She felt her mom stiffen beside her.

"Remind you of someone?" Issa asked testily.

"Adria." Jack said bluntly. "It's just a bit awkward Iss."

Issa sniffed and sulked back into her chair, then said, "I can pretty much levitate anything, though the bigger is, the harder it is. Many items aren't too difficult as long as they don't have a lot of mass. Doesn't matter if it's a rock or a piece of Ancient technology."

Sam rubbed circles into Issa's back. "It's just a bit unusual." She sad, "But it's not hurting, right?"

"No. I feel fine." Issa stated.

"Good." Dr. Keller said.

"So any other new powers?" McKay asked. She detected the slightest jealousy in his voice.

"You miss it, don't you?" Issa asked. "Everything you could do when you were in the ascension machine?"

"Who wouldn't?" McKay asked. "Of course I miss it. I was super smart, I could do everything you are currently doing and then some. Though who knows what powers you'll develop."

"I could be like Batman…except cooler." Issa said, her eyes glowing.

"She's definitely your genetic make up." McKay said to Sheppard. "Batman…."

"Aside from the super hero stuff," Dr. Weir stated, "Has anything else changed? Any new developments that we need to know about? We might as well discuss the city's progress while we're all sitting together."

"Everything is coming along great. Though I could really use some new clothes. Which either will mean a trip to Earth, or a staff uniform." Issa said.

"I'd like to go back and get a few things. I think I'm going to stay in Atlantis for a while." Sam said.

"What about you dad? How do you like the Pegasus galaxy?" Issa asked Jack.

"It's ok, but I miss home." Jack said. "I think I'll probably be going back to Earth soon."

"Oh." Issa said. "Well, at least I can keep one of you here with me."

"I've still got a few more weeks here kiddo." Jack said to Issa.

"Cool." Issa said, "Dr. Weir, I have a proposal for you. I was talking to Teyla about returning to Athos to investigate the old city there. I am curious as to why you haven't gone back there."

"I suppose it's because the city was so new to us then, we didn't expect to find anything. Aside from that, Teyla's people stated that it was unused for many generations. We didn't expect to find anything. I'm sure we can get a mission together though." Elizabeth said.

"That would be good. I think we'll find more ZPMs there." Issa said.

"That'd just be a kick in the ass. All this time the first place we went to and we abandoned, and there were ZPMs there right under our noses." Sheppard said.

"Never know." Issa said smiling.

"So, shopping." Dr Weir said with a gleam in her eye. "I think I might have to arrange a trip to Earth myself."

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They walked through the wormhole to Athos. Teyla looked a little shell shocked. The forest that once grew by her village was burned to the ground.

'The city is this way." Teyla stated and started walking.

They were silent walking through the brush on the way to the city. Even McKay wasn't talking. Teyla would stop on occasion and pick up a blade of grass, feel the ground, touch one of the trees that were remaining on the path.

They arrived at the old city. Sheppard and Ronon went in first, even though Rodney assured there were no life signs on the LSD. Teyla followed stoically behind. Issa stepped through the doorway and the flash of light hit her. She immersed herself in the vision. It looked like she was part of the evacuation 10,000 years ago.

Issa ran. The Wraith were behind her. There were people to see to make sure that the children got out. Oh, god, the children. She kept running.

She stumbled through the hallways, tripped on something that shouldn't have been there. She looked down at the ground, the area around her dark.

She kept running. The memories of all the Ancestors crushed upon her memory. She had to run. She had to get out. Someone grabbed hold of her.

"Get out!" She yelled.

Whoever had her was shaking her. She heard them calling her name, but it was the sharp crack of a hand against her cheek that brought her back to reality.

"Where am I?" She asked.

"Athos" Sheppard answered. "We just walked into the city and you took off running."

"All those poor people!" She cried out. "They had no idea." She said softly as tears rolled down her cheeks.

"What happened?" McKay asked.

"The Wraith came. They had the shield activated, but the Wraith found a way through it somehow. The Ancients had just decided to leave this galaxy when they were attacked. They were close to countering the Wraith attack, but they didn't get to it in time. This was a colony outpost. Women, children. So many children. I was here. For the evacuation. I don't know how, but I remember it as though it were my own memory." She turned to Teyla. "The survivors fled to the caves when the shield failed. They were the first ones to carve the culling upon the stones there. They are your ancestors Teyla. Your people descend from Ancients."

She heard Teyla's gasp and felt the shock that ran through her body. "I always knew somehow…" Teyla said. "It's just that no one has ever been able to prove it. Nor did we see much reason to."

"Let's go to the power room. Hopefully once we pull the ZPMs I won't see any more flashes of light."

"ZedPM's? As in plural?" McKay asked. Issa grinned.

"They've got a full compliment. Most have low power, but there are three in the core, three in backup and five in storage." Issa said.

"Holy shit. All this time. I should just resign now." Sheppard said. Ronon snorted.

"You didn't know." Issa said. "But you should have come back to check."

"Girl has a point." Ronon said.

"Yes, thank you. Let's get this show on the road." Sheppard said.

Two hours later, they collected their prizes and were leaving the city.

"Did you have any more visions?" Ronon asked.

"No. Just that first one. It's so strange, because it was more of a memory than a vision." Issa said.

They continued to walk behind Sheppard, and McKay, who had gone further ahead to talk.

"How many ZPMs does this make now Rodney?" Sheppard asked.

"We just got 11 from Athos. ELEVEN. We have another dozen on Atlantis." McKay said. "We're never going to need to worry about power ever again. Especially with Issa around to recharge them."

"Handy that." Sheppard said, but McKay could tell he was happy about it. "You know, we could actually do more than just maintain Atlantis. We could use the extra ZPMs to help other people in this galaxy hide from the Wraith." Sheppard said.

"How do you propose we do that?" Rodney asked.

"Well, we can relocate people to the Ancient cities we know that are left and still intact. Then we can power the shields and weapons, if any are left, and we can protect people. Atlantis is huge. We've seen the other cities. We know how many people they're capable of holding. We could have several populations in one city. Those who get along best, trade would flourish if they knew they were gating into another protected city. They wouldn't have to worry about trading out in the open where the Wraith could get them." Sheppard pondered. "We should take it up with Elizabeth and Teyla and Ronon. See what they think."

"I think it's a good idea." Rodney said. "If we could protect more people, then the Wraith might be even more likely to accept the agreement to take the treatment that will prevent them from being hand vampires."

"Either that, or they'll try to destroy us all the more." Sheppard stated.

Rodney snorted, "They've been trying since we got to this galaxy when we had no shields, no weapons, no ships. We've become even more technologically advanced now. What do you think they're going to do?"

"I don't know, but it might piss them off even more." Sheppard stated as Rodney dialed up the gate. Ronon, Issa and Teyla walked up to the DHD. The gate shimmered to life and they walked back home.

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Issa walked through the gate with Dr. Weir, Teyla and her mom next to her.

"Welcome back Sam." Daniel said once they were through the wormhole to Earth.

"Daniel." Sam said and hugged Daniel fiercely. "Jack misses you."

"I miss him too." Daniel said. Then he turned to Issa, Teyla and Dr. Weir.

"Dr. Weir." Daniel said, "Issa, Teyla."

"I thought you'd call me Elizabeth by now." She said to him.

"Sure thing Elizabeth. So what do we owe this visit to?" Daniel asked as he escorted them to the conference room.

"Well, actually, since we have a ton of ZPMs now, we're going to be gating back and forth whenever we feel like it. We brought you a present." Sam said to him.

"Oh?" Daniel asked.

"Three ZPMs. One for the Antarctic outpost, two for the SGC." Issa said smiling at Daniel's slack jaw.

"Thanks to Issa, finding ZPMs has been as easy as taking candy from a baby." Dr. Weir said. "The fact that she can recharge any dead ones we find. Well, I'll be honest, it's been a bit like Christmas."

"How many do you have?" Daniel asked.

"24 now." Issa said.

"TWENTY FOUR!?!?" Daniel exclaimed.

"Yeah." Issa said grinning. "All fully charged. We have plans for them too. So these ones will keep Earth in power and safe for generations. And if you accidentally drain one of them, I can always come back and repower it for you."

"How come I didn't get any of these goodies when I ascended?" Daniel asked the air.

"Probably because when you came back you had your memory wiped clean. My memory on the other hand…" Issa said, waving her hand in a general upward direction, "Well, they've never been able to mess with it."

"True." Daniel said, but he still looked a little jealous.

"Don't worry Daniel. I won't be doing anything evil." Issa said and smacked him on the shoulder. "I like all of you guys. I'd do anything to protect those I love."

Issa, Teyla and Elizabeth walked ahead of Daniel and Sam.

"How have things been?" Daniel asked Sam.

"They're good. Jack and I have been running with some marines on missions. Checking out what Sheppard's team has been up to these past few years. It looks like they're doing a good job. They remind me a lot of us when we were still starting out. Issa's changed them too. She's been giving them hope where they thought they had none. The whole galaxy seems charged now. Like she's brought something to them, and they have a whole new reason to fight now. Every planet she goes to, she touches somehow." Sam said. "Jack said hello. He'll be coming home in a week or two. I'm going to stay with Issa for a bit longer. Probably a month or so. He said that you should make the time to get the cabin in the woods when he comes back."

"I miss you guys." Daniel said. "Tell Jack it won't be a problem. We can go fishing." Daniel smiled at the corners of his mouth.  
"I know you do." Sam said as she put her arm around his shoulder. "Now, c'mon. Let's get the unpleasant stuff done so that the girls can go shopping."

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Teyla remembered when the entity had taken her to Earth in Sheppard's mind. Earth was just every bit as magnificent as it was then. Even more so. They went shopping and Teyla couldn't understand how so much was made and produced to the masses. They spent hours enlightening her on culture. It took her several purchases to figure out how money worked. She was a bit shocked that while people on Earth had so much, there were still some people who were dying in the streets. Everyone else had a hard time accepting it too. When you've seen worlds ravaged by entities like the Wraith and have watched the people of an entire galaxy band together to survive, Earth looked pretty damn petty.

Nonetheless, they enjoyed their shopping trip. They also went to a baseball game, got their hair done, nails and pedicures and shopped until they were so tired they were going to fall over sleeping if they didn't go back to the SGC.

"I adore girl time." Elizabeth said. "I really needed this."

Sam nodded. "And you have to admit, we look good."

"We always look good." Issa said and smiled.

They walked into a Bath and Body Works and Issa picked up several lotions.

"Here Teyla, smell this." She held up a fall spice candle.

"It smells like Athos in the fall." Teyla said.

"Strange how the smell of leaves translates no matter what planet you're on." Issa said quietly. They added it to their basket. Teyla practically bought out the stores supply of candles, smiling broadly as she walked out.

"I've never been so overwhelmed." Teyla said with a small smile, "but it's a good overwhelmed."

"Nothing quite like a trip to the mall to give you confidence that you need to face a galaxy of life sucking space creatures." Elizabeth said.

"Speaking of…" Issa said and they all whipped to look at her. She laughed. "No no, not the Wraith, but life sucking creatures. Isn't it almost Halloween? Vampires and such?"

"It is." Sam said.

"We should get decorations to bring back to Atlantis. Have a Halloween party." Issa grinned. "And we totally need to hit up a bulk store and go shopping."

"Amen. Maybe we can bring back chest freezers and fill one up completely with Egg Nog." Elizabeth said wistfully.

"Egg Nog!" Sam and Issa said together dreamily.

"What is Egg Nog?" Teyla asked.

"C'mon. Let's go to Starbucks and show you the joys of an Egg Nog latte." Elizabeth took Teyla's arm and they were off once again, forgetting about how tired they all were.

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Issa was fully supplied with civilian clothing and the Atlantis expedition uniforms. She insisted on leather, stating that it was more reliable than cotton; though she received two cotton uniforms as well. She liked the leather ones. They were more durable and she looked a hell of a lot hotter in leather.

"Wow." Sam said. "My baby girl is all grown up and wearing leather."

Issa giggled. "I make this look good." She quoted and slid on a pair of thin black sunglasses.

"You sure do." Daniel said.

"Stop drooling over my daughter." Sam said and smacked him in the head.

"Hey!" Daniel said, and then winked at Sam. She knew where his heart lay. The flirting was pretty harmless all and all.

"Drool away boys and girls. Get used to it. I'll be wearing these lots." Issa said twirling.

"She does have a nice…" Daniel started to say and Sam smacked him again. "Well, she does!" Daniel retorted.

"So not the point!" Sam said, then leaned over to him and whispered, "Don't make me tell Jack on you."

Daniel paled. "It's been a pleasure." He said.

Sam chuckled and hugged him.

"We'll see you in a few months Sam. Tell Jack to watch his back." Daniel said.

"Will do." Sam said. The dialing sequence initiated and the wormhole flared to life. Teyla and Elizabeth made their goodbyes and stepped through. Sam followed.

"You should come and see us sometime Daniel." Issa said turning at the top of the gate. "I have a whole database set aside for you."

"Oh? What about?" Daniel asked.

"It's a detailed list of where the Ancients had planned to go after they parted the Pegasus galaxy; which worlds they were going to colonize in the Milky Way. I haven't gone through it yet. Oh, and I also have a few other interesting things for you. Puzzles and whatnot." Issa said, and she knew she had him.

"Perhaps I can make a trip sometime soon…especially with the gate travel not being as much of a hardship as it used to be."

Issa could see the wheels in his head clicking.

"Cool. Later Daniel." She said as she stepped through the gate.

On the other side of the gate, their goodies were being shipped through.

"How much did you get on that shopping trip?" Sheppard said standing beside Issa.

"Enough and not enough." She said. "Oh! I have a present for you." She pulled out an IPOD from her vest jacket and handed it to him.

"I tweaked it with an Ancient crystal so its storage is pretty much unlimited. Unless you think you'll program more than a million songs." Issa said. "It's already loaded with every Johnny Cash song I could find."

"You are my new favourite person on so many levels." Sheppard said.

"Hey!" McKay said.

"Have something for you too." Issa said, opening up her other vest pocket.

"It's a PDA." McKay said.

"Tweaked." Issa said and rolled her eyes starting it up. John walked away to supervise the supplies coming through the gate.

"It's a life signs detector, a storage device, a camera, a medical reader of sorts and half a dozen other things. I also tweaked it, and will be able to tweak ALL the LSD's, to detect Wraith life signs. It's got a port for the networks, so everything can be loaded to a laptop in seconds and it comes with headphones and has three times as much storage as his IPOD." Issa said pointing to Sheppard, who already had his in his ears and was humming along as he watched boxes and crates come through the gate.

"Oh, and this." She walked over to Teyla who was holding up a box. She grabbed it, opened it and took out two things before walking over to McKay. "Welcome back to being able to go to Earth whenever you want." She gave him a cup of coffee from Starbucks and a bag.

"OH GOD!" McKay said snatching the coffee and sipping it. "Egg Nog latte." He sighed. Issa looked over at Sheppard who was watching with a slightly strange expression on his face. His eyes looked a little blown.

'Huh.' Issa thought. 'I wonder if that feeling is mutual.'

"I thought you might like a supply for a while." Issa said to McKay who looked totally blissed out.

"I love you with every fiber of my being." Rodney said.

"Love you too. Open the bag." Issa said.

"Kona." Rodney said taking it out of the bag. "You brought me Kona."

She leaned over and whispered in his ear, "Twenty bags. They're in one of the crates marked specifically to you. They'll go to your quarters and you can hide them wherever. There are also 20 bars of Godiva chocolate. Let me know if you need help. I know a lot of secret hiding places around here."

"You are my new best friend. Thanks for the PDA." Rodney said, still looking a little shocked.

"Have fun figuring it out. It should be entertaining." Issa said.

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End Chapter 3

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	4. Chapter 4

Title: Isobel  
Author: bluedrgn52  
Pairing: Eventual McShep, Isobel/Arik (my characters), Implied Carter/O'Neill and O'Neill/Jackson (but I wouldn't classify it as a cross over really, I shortly borrowed them and a few SGA characters through out the story, but they're kinda background.)  
Rating: Eventually MA, but this is pretty much set up and innocent.  
Spoilers: It's pretty AU, but I'd say if you've seen seasons 1,2 and 3 you're pretty ok. After that, I blur the lines a bit.  
Word count: 31,000 something at this point  
Summary/Warnings: You might go WTF at first, but it'll all be explained. Don't worry. I made up a few characters and it's an AU. I think that's about it.  
Disclaimer: Just borrowing the characters, except for Isobel and Arik, who are mine. :D  
Author's Notes: I really miss Dr. Weir, so she's in this one as the expedition leader still. It's pretty much straight Atlantis AU, but follows the time line from the show.

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Chapter 4

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Since coming back from Earth, Issa had become a regular on Sheppard's team. She had an uncanny knack for finding things and telling them which places were worth investigating. She added several planets to the database that hadn't been in there. When they asked her if they were safe, she replied that they had only been wiped out of the Ancient database because they were determined "too primitive" A lot had happened in 10,000 years, so she figured that they were worth checking out now. The team was stronger than ever, and even Sheppard was starting to warm up to Issa.

"I still think she's hiding something, but I think you're right Elizabeth." He said one morning while he was having his first coffee in Elizabeth's office.

"She's got a lot of knowledge stored in there. And she's part Ancient, which makes me think that she doesn't want to show us everything. She's probably just trying to protect us." Elizabeth said.

Sheppard took a sip and sighed. One of the perks about being able to gate into Earth whenever they wanted was that they had supplies they didn't think they'd ever have on a regular basis again. Sheppard was currently drinking coffee flavoured with Pumpkin Spice creamer. He was a flavour creamer man, but didn't want anyone but Elizabeth to know it. It might hurt his tough guy image.

"She got the probes working." John said stirring his coffee.

"Really?" Elizabeth asked.

"Really. She said that the next gate up, we'll test it. It should be able to report anything it finds, even if the gate is shut off. It'll just sit in self contained stasis until someone with the gene activates it." John said.

"No more MALPs." Elizabeth said.

"They were expensive too. SGC is going to shit themselves when they realize that Issa figured out in 2 months what they've been working on for more than 15 years."

Elizabeth chuckled. The SGC had a love/hate relationship with Issa.

"Well, we can test it out on today's exploratory mission. I was going to use a MALP anyway. We're going to one of the planets that the Ancients wiped from the database. If it's clean, your team can go through." Elizabeth said.

"Major Lorne's team should be going through to several planets this morning." Sheppard said taking another sip of coffee. "They're going to talk to everyone who has been friendly to us about relocating."

"It's a good idea. We'll see if they accept." Elizabeth said and sipped her coffee. "I didn't think I'd ever get good coffee again."

Sheppard chuckled and sipped his coffee.

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"So when are you going to tell Rodney that you like him *that* way?" Issa asked Sheppard later that day when they were together getting their gear set up for the mission in the afternoon.

"What?!" John asked shocked. "You do know we can't talk about that, right?"

"Oh please, it's a stupid rule and I'm not going to tell anyone." Issa said.

"I don't know. I'm not sure if he feels anything back." John said in a strangely vulnerable minute.

Issa smacked the back of his head. "Dumb, that's just plain dumb."

Issa had been watching them together since she first noticed the touches when she came back from Earth. She noticed. Anyone with eyes would notice.

"Ouch." Sheppard said and rubbed the spot on his head. "I am handling a gun here."

"The safety's on." Issa said checking the gear in her hand. "And you're pretty oblivious if you don't realize that he likes you too."

Sheppard shrugged and continued to look at his gear. "I wondered if I could take it somewhere once, but I kept thinking 'what if we get back to Earth?' I don't want to have to leave here." He said.

"Well, I can show you a lot of secret rooms around here that no one else knows about if you want. For, you know, extra storage spaces in case the city is ever under attack." Issa said and coughed.

"I might have to take you up on that." John said. Issa grinned. "C'mon, these are fine. Let's get the team and gear up."

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The probe worked beautifully and they stepped through to a world that smelled like spice and sun. There was a camp set up close enough that people from the gate could see it, but not so close that they could be attacked immediately from the Wraith gating in.

They walked toward it and realized that it was some sort of traveling band. Merchants and acts.

"It reminds me of the traveling circus." McKay said.

"It does, doesn't it?" Sheppard said.

They approached and Teyla gave the standard greeting. Ronon looked at the body guard by the entrance and raised his eyebrow. Sheppard just gave Ronon his best 'stand down' look.

"We've come to talk and trade." Teyla stated.

"We have many things to trade and many stories to tell." The man said in reply.

"Perhaps we can share and live peacefully."

"Perhaps." The guard stood aside and let them through.

"She's always so good at that." McKay said to Sheppard.

"That's why she's on the team. Otherwise we'd end up in jail a lot more." Sheppard said and smirked.

Issa coughed a little. "Sometimes I think you're all crazy, and Teyla is craziest of all to put up with you guys."

"Yes," Teyla said, "But now I have another woman on the team to rationalize the best, safest point and get it through their heads."

Issa laughed. They walked through the tents and found the standard Pegasus trade goods. There were also acts, people performing. It was very much like a circus.

"I've only been to one of these when I was a child. They came on Athos and we agreed to let them stay for the summer season. It was wonderful." Teyla said.

"I went with my father on a trading mission when I was a boy. We came across a group similar to this." Ronon said.

"Why don't we split up and check back in a half hour. See what we can find. Talk to people. Ronon, Teyla, go ahead that way. Issa, Rodney and I will check out this side. Keep in radio contact though." John said.

"As you wish." Teyla said.

They walked for a while, looking through the tents, seeing shows and items for sale. They stumbled across a tent that boasted a Dem'sa'e'sohsa (Pronounced Dem (like them, but with a D in stead of a TH) -say-ah-so-sa)

Issa looked at it and raised an eyebrow. "Want to check her out?" She asked.

"Don't tell me you actually believe in this stuff?" McKay asked. "Sheppard help me out here."

"So, 'Doctor of the improbabilities of the universe'," Issa said including quotation marks in her hand expressions, "Do you mean to tell me that you believed that you could have a fully grown daughter in less than 5 years, without having sex?" Issa retaliated.

"She's got a point." Sheppard said.

"Not helping!" McKay said then sighed. "Yeah yeah yeah. Go do your voodoo tent and come back here when you've regained your common sense."

Issa took a deep breath and walked into the tent. She expected to see smoke, a crystal ball and deep shades of red. Instead she walked what looked very much like an Ancient lab, with the dirt floor being an exception. A side curtain of bright blue hung on one wall.

"I was wondering when I would see you." A voice said. It sounded young.

"Hello?" Issa said, signaling Colonel Sheppard to stay behind her.

"It's alright Sheppard, I won't hurt her." The voice said again. Behind a wall stepped out a girl. She couldn't have been more than 10. She had long blonde hair and brown eyes.

"I'm Mera. I'm a Dem'sa'e'sohsa. In your speech, one would say I'm an Oracle."

"Fortune teller." Sheppard mumbled. "How did you know my name?"

"I could tell you I knew already, but I'll be honest and say that I overheard your colleges outside call you by name."

"An honest fortune teller." Sheppard said and smirked. He was with McKay on this one. It was all a bunch of voodoo, but at the same time, stranger things had happened in this galaxy than having your fortune told by a kid.

"Issa, please sit. I'd like to read your cards. I knew you'd be coming, but I wasn't sure if you'd come to see me. I'm pleased you have." Mera said.

"I can't pass up an opportunity to have my future told." Issa said smiling.

"I don't like to tell the future. I simply tell you about the path you are currently on. It's like ripples in a pond though. You can choose any path ahead of you. Especially if you know which path _not_ to take. Most of it is common sense however." Mera said as she sat down. "But you intrigued me when I first got your cards. She who is an Ancient and yet not."

Sheppard looked slightly startled. Issa paled.

"What do you mean?" Issa asked.

"I know who you are already, but let me read the cards." Mera said. She shuffled the pack and held them together, chanting something in a speech neither Sheppard nor Issa recognized. She flipped the first card. They were like tarot cards, but not quite the same.

"What does it tell you?" Issa asked.

"No wonder he protects you. You carry his blood." Mera said glancing at Sheppard.

"How could you know that?" Sheppard asked.

"You still disbelieve? Perhaps when I am done with Isobel, you will let me read your cards John Sheppard?" Mera asked.

"Perhaps." Sheppard said, inclining his head slightly at her. He had to admit, he was intrigued.

Mera flipped another card. "You have a bright past." She said, "You are unique. So much responsibility for one who has only lived 5 years. Of course, you don't need me to tell you about your past."

Issa raised an eyebrow again. Flipping another three cards, Mera continued;

"You work hard to prove to others that you are able to accomplish your given tasks. Among those who doubt you, you try to show them that you are adept in your duties, and even surpass what they expect of you. You want to belong. You choose to fit in instead of show everyone you can surpass them, even though they all know it. That shows that you are humble, but not so much that you don't want to be respected. You doubt your abilities and they scare you. Especially the abilities you have that no one else does."

Mera flipped another three cards on the opposite side of the first three.

"You have accomplished much, but the hardest part is yet to come. You must make a choice between the many and one, but feel complied to help the one. It will define your future." She flipped another three cards vertically. "You have much to learn. You will learn it. You will save this galaxy from their biggest threat and you will create a new universe."

She folded her hands on top of the cards and looked into Issa's eyes.

"I normally don't tell people what I see of their future, because one change in that path will change it. You are different." Mera said, "You can give us all hope."

Mera took Issa's hands and held them. "You change us all. But…"

"But what?" Issa asked.

"But if you change from the path I have seen today, it will lead to destruction. Instead of saving this galaxy, you will destroy it. It is a lot of burden for one to carry. Especially one so young."

"You know something about that yourself." Sheppard said. Issa had forgotten he was there and jumped slightly at his voice. It seemed too rough.

"I do." Mera said with a slight smirk. "I have lived 1000 years in this body and I still do not know why I cannot age nor die."

"I find that hard to believe." Sheppard said. Mera shrugged like it didn't bother her.

"How will I know which path to take?" Issa asked.

"You simply follow your instinct. Do not waver from it." Mera replied.

"Thank you." Issa said and stood.

"Colonel Sheppard, if you would stay for one minute?" Mera asked.

"Go ahead. I'll find Rodney." Issa said.

"Ok."

Issa lifted the flap to the tent and walked out taking a deep breath, letting her eyes adjust to the brighter light of the outdoors. She searched for Rodney among the stalls and found him sampling some food.

"Should you be doing that with your allergies?" She asked him. He jumped, startled by her silent presence.

"You move like Teyla." Rodney said, puffing out a breath.

"I'll take that as a compliment. You haven't answered my question." Issa said.

"It's fine. Ronon already taste tested it." Rodney said, giving the woman in the stalls some coins that Teyla had passed out among them. "Besides I was hungry. You two were gone for over an hour."

"It couldn't have been that long." Issa stated.

"Look at your watch." Rodney said patiently. "And avoid the green ones. They're kinda like lemons."

Issa looked at her watch and picked up a red fruit that resembled an apple. She bit into it and found that it tasted more like a cantaloupe. She sighed and nodded at the vendor to include a bushel of the fruit in their purchases. It had been over an hour.

"Guess so. Shep is still with the Oracle chick." Issa said. "I don't think he believed her."

"And you did?" Rodney snorted.

"I don't know what to believe." Issa replied.

"C'mon, let's go find Hercules and Xena." Rodney said.

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They found Ronon and Teyla behind a tent that boasted they made their own sugar candies. Ronon was popping one in Teyla's mouth when Issa and Rodney walked up.

"It melts!" Teyla said slightly surprised.

"The best in the galaxy." The man behind the stall boasted.

"We'll take a bag." Ronon said. "Told you they were good."

"Hey guys." Issa said. McKay actually waved at them. Issa chuckled.

"Did you find anything of interest?" Teyla asked. "Where is John?"

"We ran across a Dem'sa'e'sohsa." Issa said. "Shep is with her still."

"Really?" Teyla asked looking excited and frightened at the same time.

"They don't come out much." Ronon said.

"I wouldn't have expected one to come here." Teyla said.

"She said she knew I was going to be here." Issa said. "If you believe in that type of thing."

Rodney snorted, but Teyla and Ronon looked stoic.

"One predicted the end of my world." Ronon said. "I was ten. It was the same trip that I took with my father. She who predicted couldn't have been more than my age at the time."

"Come with me now." Issa said, grabbing Ronon's hand and leading him back to the tent. Sheppard was just emerging from it looking slightly dumb struck when Issa came dragging Ronon with her.

"Go in." She told him.

"Why?" Ronon asked.

"Tell me if it's the same person." Issa said.

"That'd be impossible." Teyla stated.

"Nothing in this galaxy is impossible." Issa said and Ronon went in.

They waited a few minutes, trying to get Sheppard to tell them what the Dem'sa'e'sohsa told him, but he just shook his head. He was still processing it all.

Ronon came back out and it was the first time anyone on his team had seen him pale.

"She's the same." Ronon said. "The exact same."

"Holy Shit." Rodney said.

"Believe yet?" Issa said and paced pondering.

"How is that possible?" Rodney asked.

"I don't know. The Wraith can live a long time, but we know why. Why and HOW does this girl live and predict things. She *knows* things. Not just about the here and now and the future, but the past too." Issa said. "I don't understand. I don't think I can."

"Some things we are not meant to understand. Let's go home." Teyla said to the entire team. It had been a while since she'd seen Ronon and Sheppard shook up on the same day.

"Yeah." Sheppard said. "Home would be good."

They walked back to the gate in silence and went home.

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"It was unusual. She was right about everything so far. She knew things about me that no one would by just looking at me." Issa said to Elizabeth in the briefing.

"Do you think we'll be able to find her again?" Elizabeth asked.

"Most likely not." Teyla said, "Most who are Dem'sa'e'sohsa do not stay in the area for long."

"Shame." Elizabeth said.

"Maybe it's for the best." Teyla said.

"What about the planet otherwise?" Elizabeth asked.

"We didn't get around to much, other than the scan Rodney did with his new shiny PDA." Sheppard said.

"Which encompasses the whole planet in one scan thanks to Issa." Rodney bantered back.

"It does?" Teyla, Elizabeth and Sheppard all said at the same time.

"I thought I mentioned that." Issa said sheepishly.

"Hum…me too." Rodney said. They looked at each other and chuckled. "Anyway," He continued, "There are some pretty strange readings coming from underground. What is with those underground chambers and this galaxy?"

"Rodney." Sheppard said.

"Yeah, getting there." Rodney said, "Anyway it is Ancient tech. If we hadn't been distracted, I'd have suggested we go there, but other things happened before I could get the goodies."

"We'll just have to go back." Elizabeth said.

"Sure." Sheppard said.

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They gated through a week later. They had other planets to check out in the meantime. They came back and this time, the trading carnival people were gone. The planet seemed empty.

"Looks like no one is here." Sheppard said.

"No readings." Rodney said. "Same energy signature though."

"Picking up anything?" Sheppard asked Issa.

"Not yet." Issa said. "I don't feel anything right now."

"It's pretty far down in the ground." Rodney said.

"Let's go." Ronon said taking point. Rodney walked beside him; Sheppard took their six with Teyla and Issa in the middle.

"What exactly are we looking for?" Sheppard asked.

"It's masked somehow." Rodney said.

"Could it be a trap?" Sheppard asked as they got closer.

"No." Issa whispered and started running.

"No what?" They all started running to keep up with her.

"It's not a trap. It's a ship." Issa said running down a hill and into a small cave. "Though here."

"She's right." Rodney said, "The energy readings are getting stronger."

"A ship…as in warship?" John asked with a twinkle in his eyes.

"As in warship." Issa confirmed giving him a giant grin.

"I wonder if this one works." Rodney grumbled.

"It's not powered to maximum, but I can probably fix it. It's been in stasis for ten millennia." Issa said, wandering deeper into the cave.

"Perhaps we should proceed with caution." Teyla said, "These caves seem to be a large network and not explored in a while."

"Don't worry. It's fine." McKay said. "I did a scan when we entered."

"If you want, you guys can guard the entrance." Sheppard said.

"I think we will be fine." Teyla said and continued with them.

They walked down three more pathways, guided by whatever Issa was sensing and by Rodney's PDA. The general excitement boomed when they entered an Ancient corridor.

"Looks like we're in the right place." Ronon said.

"Looks like." Sheppard reiterated.

"This way." Issa said, rounding corners and leading them to a gigantic doorway.

"Through here." Rodney said, walking through a small door that was left slightly ajar.

"Looks like they left in a hurry. They didn't even lock up." Sheppard said, a bit nervous. "How long do you think it's been here? How many people do you think have been through here?"

"Who knows. But it's abandoned now. No life signs of any kind." Rodney said, almost giggling as he added, "even bacteria."

"I like conclusive scans!" Issa said defensively at Rodney picking on her tweaking of the PDA. "There have been several missions where bacteria have harbored and caused problems." She said as they walked though the door. They found the ship waiting there in the hanger. Gigantic cargo doors were above them, ready to open the roof and let the ship out. Except that the land had grown over them in the 10,000 years that had passed from when the building was built and where it currently stood. There was a lot of land over those doors.

"It's a Warship." Rodney said.

"It is. The last final model." Issa said.

"Wow." McKay said.

"Let's go check it out." Sheppard said.

They filed into the ship and went to the bridge first.

"It looks like it's intact." McKay said. Issa and he both had tablets out and were checking systems. "It seems like they just up and left it. I wonder why."

"I'll try to find out. Sheppard see if you can access the Captains logs." Issa said. "I'm going to go down to engineering and look at the stardrive. See if it's operational or not."

"I'll come with you. I have to check out a few of the main systems. Life support is obviously working, but there seem to be some minor rewiring to get things to work properly." Rodney said.

"Sure." Issa said.

"Ronon, go with the wonder twins." Sheppard said and Ronon rolled his eyes as he stalked after them.

"Teyla, come here?" John asked.

"Yes John, what can I do to help?" Teyla said. John looked at her. Teyla, quiet yet ever the helpful one.

"Can you come see if you can activate these systems after I initialize them?" John asked.

They set to work.

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Ronon followed behind Issa and McKay. He sighed. This couldn't be more boring. He hated missions where they were just investigating tech.

"Ronon, stop sulking. Come over here and I'll show you how this works so you don't have to blow up another ship if it falls into enemy hands." Issa said smirking. "I read the report about the Daedalus and how you opted to blow up the systems instead of pulling a few key crystals."

"I didn't have much of a choice. We were on a time limit." Ronon said shrugging.

"You did if you knew how to pull a crystal or two." Issa said. "This one here will disable the hyperspace drive. Now while this is in an Ancient ship, it's still the best one for the Daedalus too. They're based on a lot of the same technology."

"What about weapons?" Ronon asked.

"On the Daedalus, the consol is a bit different, but it's essentially the same principal. There are two crystals to pull here." Issa said. "These two will stop the weapons dead." She pulled them out.

She ran through a few more consoles with him until she felt he was efficient enough to not blow up another ship. McKay got the major systems up and running and Issa said that the hyperdrive was in prime condition.

"What's the weapons compliment?" Sheppard asked as he came in.

"We were just about to look it up." Issa said stepping to the weapons consol.

"Oh my god." McKay said, turning to face Sheppard. "It has a full armament of drones on board."

"How many?" Sheppard asked.

"All of them. Over 5,000." Rodney said.

Ronon looked positively thrilled.

"This ship never saw battle." Sheppard said. "I accessed the Captains logs."

"Why didn't they use it?" Issa asked.

"The log said that it had to be abandoned because the Wraith were too close. Instead of using it, they hid it. It has all their newest technology and they couldn't see it fall into enemy hands." Sheppard said. "They would rather stay in this galaxy and take their chances than watch it fall into the hands of the Wraith."

"Woah." Rodney said.

"What did you find?" Issa asked.

"It's got two chairs. One for weapons and navigation. One for something else. I can't figure out what."

"Stasis." Issa said looking up from the panel. "It's for stasis."

She ran out of the room, the rest of the team on her heels. She wound her way through the ship and turned the corner. The stasis pod chamber looked to be empty except for two flashing lights in the very front of the room. One was flashing red, the other blue.

"I don't understand." Issa said. "What do I have to do?"

She paused, went over to the pod with the blue light on it.

"We can't open them." Issa said.

"Why not?" Sheppard asked.

"We can open that one. She's dead." Issa said.

"Why not this one? McKay?" He asked.

"I don't know. It has some sort of interface. It looks like it needs a code of some kind. There's a hole here. Maybe a key?"

"Yes," Issa said, "And the key isn't on this planet."

"How do you know?" Teyla asked her. "Perhaps it is on this ship?"

Issa shook her head no. "No, they were too important. See how they're still young? They didn't age like the Ancients we've seen in stasis."

"Why?" Rodney asked.

"They created a new stasis. They knew that the Wraith could interfere with their current technology, so they created this to counter it. They are the guardians of the ship, only to awaken when the correct people come." Issa said.

"How do you… you know what, nevermind." Sheppard said shaking his head. She just knew, and that was starting to be good enough for him.

"We have to find the key." Ronon said.

"We can't just leave them there." Teyla agreed.

"I know where it is, but you aren't going to like it." She looked directly at Ronon.

"Where?" He asked.

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"Why would it be on Sateda?" Elizabeth asked. They were sitting in her office back on Atlantis.

"Well, we know that they had a lot of technology before the Wraith destroyed their planet." McKay said.

"Yes." Elizabeth stated, urging him to continue.

"We reversed engineered a lot of things from the Ancestors." Ronon said. "We made them our own, but still, a lot of the plans came from the library. Which was run by one specific family…"

"Who was a descended Ancient." Issa finished.

"If you think it's still there, go find it." Elizabeth said. She never was very comfortable with the idea of people being stuck in stasis.

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"We've got a science team looking over the ship Rodney. You won't miss out much." Sheppard said as Rodney grumbled about going to fetch a key instead of investigating the ship they found.

"It still needs a name." Rodney muttered.

"Remember that you're not allowed to name anything anymore?" Sheppard asked.

Rodney snorted as Issa walked up.

"What'd I miss?" Issa asked.

"Only how Rodney isn't allowed to name anything. Ronon coming?" Sheppard asked.

"Teyla is staying here. She's got the baby today." Issa said, "But Ronon should be along any minute now. What did you name that revoked your privileges?"

"The puddlejumpers. I wanted to call them gateships. They're a ship that goes through the gate. What could be more appropriate?"

"Puddlejumper." She stated and turned to Sheppard, "Yeah, he's not allowed to name anything. What are we naming anyway?"

"The Warship." Rodney said glaring.

"Well, it wouldn't keep with the Latin Mythology theme ya'll got going with the names of your ships, but we could call her Tiamat." Issa said.

"Babylonian mythology." Sheppard said. "Kinda fits her though."

"How do you know that?" McKay asked.

"I know a lot of things Rodney." Sheppard said lazily.

"Tiamat she is." Issa said smiling.

Ronon walked up behind them. "Let's go." He said.

The gate swooshed to life and they walked through. On the other side, there was Sateda, or what was left of it. Ronon got tense.

"The library is this way." He said as the gate switched off.

They walked in silence. Issa almost felt the pulse of something pulling at her. She walked next to Ronon, gently directing them without Ronon even realizing it.

"It's here." Issa said. "Somewhere."

"Let's find it." Ronon stated.

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They searched for almost three hours before they found it. Sitting in a box, tucked behind a bookshelf was a small wooden box. Issa fingered the inlay at the top, which was a glyph of the Ancient word – protect.

"It's here." Issa said. The rest of the team came over to her and looked over her shoulder. She opened it and it let out a soft hiss. "It's just sitting here after all this time."

Issa held the key in her hand. It was the same metal that the Ancients used. It felt warm in her hand. Suddenly she felt it. A flash of knowledge. She knew the code.

"We need to get back to the Tiamat." Issa said.

"Let's go." Ronon said, walking over parchment that had been strewn over the floors.

"We'll gate to Atlantis, fill in Dr. Weir and head out again." Sheppard said.

Issa put the key back in the box and put it in her pocket. Something so small that held so much. They headed back to the gate.

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End Chapter 4

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	5. Chapter 5

Title: Isobel  
Author: bluedrgn52  
Pairing: Eventual McShep, Isobel/Arik (my characters), Implied Carter/O'Neill and O'Neill/Jackson (but I wouldn't classify it as a cross over really, I shortly borrowed them and a few SGA characters through out the story, but they're kinda background.)  
Rating: Eventually MA, but this is pretty much set up and innocent.  
Spoilers: It's pretty AU, but I'd say if you've seen seasons 1,2 and 3 you're pretty ok. After that, I blur the lines a bit.  
Word count: 31,000 something at this point  
Summary/Warnings: You might go WTF at first, but it'll all be explained. Don't worry. I made up a few characters and it's an AU. I think that's about it.  
Disclaimer: Just borrowing the characters, except for Isobel and Arik, who are mine. :D  
Author's Notes: I really miss Dr. Weir, so she's in this one as the expedition leader still. It's pretty much straight Atlantis AU, but follows the time line from the show.

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Chapter 5

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Issa stood above the stasis pod. She put the key in and entered the code. It hissed open. Dr. Keller was waiting there, along with a medical team. As soon as the pod was opened, she heard the man gasp for breath. His eyes opened, the colour a brilliant violet.

"Shemeya?" He asked.

"I'm sorry?" Dr. Keller said.

"He's asking about her." Issa said pointing to the other pod, then turned to the man, "She didn't make it." She said.

"Oh." The man said, and lay his head back down.

"It's the year 2008, er…well, our time. We're some of the current inhabitants of the Pegasus galaxy." Sheppard said. "We have a doctor to look over you and make sure you are alright if you're ok with that."

"That is fine." The man said.

"What's your name?" Issa asked as Dr. Keller stepped forward, helping him sit up.

"Arik." He said. "Who are you?"

They went through the list of introductions, and Arik looked around. "The ship, is it still intact?"

"It is. It's exactly as you left it." McKay said.

"That's good." Arik said. "The Wraith?"

"Are still a threat." Sheppard said.

"I will need to know much, when you are done." Arik said, gesturing to Dr. Keller.

"There's a lot to tell." Issa said and turned to Sheppard. "We should take him back to Atlantis."

"The city is still alive?" Arik asked.

"Sort of." Issa said. "We gated through from Earth, in the Milky Way. We live there now."

"That is good. She would have been lonely after all this time." Arik said.

Dr. Keller stated that he was well enough to gate through the city. He appeared to be in perfect health for someone who was over 10,000 years old. He looked to be around Issa's age. Then again, she was only 4.

"The database here will have some information I can look through. If you do not mind, I'd like to start there." Arik said.

"We accessed some of it." McKay said, "But not all of the systems are operational yet. There was some minor maintenance that needed to be done."

"They were supposed to let us out before they left. I wonder why that didn't happen." Arik said.

"They never launched the ship. They abandoned it when the Wraith became too much of a threat." Sheppard said.

Arik hummed.

"She's the best we ever made." He said, placing his hand on the inner hull, it glowed. "She was going to hold the hope for the galaxy. If she was never launched, they doomed everyone in Pegasus to a long, drawn out death from the Wraith. I understand why they did it, but I also don't think I would have made the same choice."

"That alone may be why they didn't wake you." Issa said.

"You are like them?" Arik asked Issa.

"In many ways." Issa said smiling. She was an Ancient yet wasn't, as he was an Ancient in the wrong time.

"I think we will get to know each other better." Arik said.

Issa smiled and followed him to the secondary bridge. "There's a database here that has been monitoring since I was placed into stasis." He said and punched numbers into the consol. "I put it in and didn't let them know about it." He smirked. "They weren't as open minded as some of us were."

Sheppard and McKay both snorted. "We've met some Ancients before. Let's just say they weren't all together happy about us taking over."

"I would assume not. How many others have survived?" Arik said.

"We found a ship called Tria. It was awkward."

"Yes." Arik stated. "They didn't realize what they were doing. After the experiments with the Wraith failed, they assumed they could kill them off easily. That is, once they realized what they had done. Instead of using our abilities to protect the people, most of us fled back to the cities that could protect us. After it became inevitable that the Wraith weren't going to die as easily as we thought, most fled to Atlantis. She's big enough to hold almost the entire population of our kind. Then they chose to gate to Earth. This ship was meant to be the last defense. Unfortunately, the project was told to stop. We had already finished the ship. We put our most modern technology into her, and some of it was quite experimental."

"Most Ancient tech is." McKay retorted. Arik acknowledged him with a nod of the head.

"True." Arik said. "Most of us abandoned a project when we lost interest in it. I, however, liked to perfect things before moving on. It made me…unique among my people."

"Well, it's folks like you that we liked best." Sheppard said smiling.

"Did you name her yet?" Arik asked.

"Tiamat." Issa said smiling broadly.

"I don't know the reference, but I like the way it sounds." Arik said.

"She's a Babylonian goddess. She gave birth to the first generation of gods and she declared war upon them. In her death, she was split in two and her body was used to form the heavens and the earth." Issa explained.

"Interesting history." Arik said, "However, I hope my ship will not be split apart." He grinned at her.

"I hope not too." McKay said, "We plan to use this ship to fight the Wraith."

"I'd like to help you. There are some systems that need to be finished before she is ready to fly. It shouldn't take more than one cycle." Arik said.

"A week." Issa translated.

"A week." Arik repeated.

"McKay would be happy to stay and help out. I'm sure Issa would too." Sheppard said, "We have a lot of scientists who wouldn't mind learning from you."

"I'd be happy to help. However, I'd like to see the city as soon as I am done here." Arik said. "It shouldn't take long."

In about an hour, they knew more about Ancient Warships than they had ever in the past. Having a living Ancient who was actually cooperative was a major achievement. They were getting ready to gate back to Atlantis with Arik asking question after question. The database had apparently only given him more questions. Some they could answer, others they had no idea. Some were unusual, some were personal.

"What were you named after?" Arik asked Issa.

"It's actually funny. When my mom and dad came across me, I hadn't had a name yet." Issa said smiling fondly at the story Sam had told her. "My mother was watching something on TV – it's a box that has entertainment. I'll show you later – and she was watching a movie – moving pictures shown in the box – and a show called Elizabeth came on. Well, it's a historical movie, things that had happened on our planet during a certain time period, and the guy who was her enemy had a daughter named Isobel. Apparently I stopped crying when mom called me that, so that was my name." Issa chuckled.

"So you were named after a dead enemy of a hero that your mother saw on this TV?" Arik asked.

"Apparently so. I like Isobel, but most people just call me Issa." She said.

"Issa. I like both Issa and Isobel." Arik said smiling at her.

They arrived at the gate and walked through. Elizabeth was waiting for them on the other side, along with Sam and Jack.

"Mom, dad, Elizabeth, meet Arik." Issa said, "These are my parents, General Jack O'Neill and Colonel Samantha Carter, and our expedition leader, Dr. Elizabeth Weir."

They nodded at their names and Arik extended his hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you."

Issa grinned. She taught Arik how to greet her people. They all shook hands.

"So you're an Ancient." Jack stated.

"I am." Arik said. "I'd like to see the database if it's alright." Arik said.

"I'd like to meet briefly before we do anything else." Elizabeth said.

"That will be fine." Arik said. They walked to the conference room.

They gathered in the conference room, Arik took a seat next to Issa and Dr. Weir. After everyone had situated, Elizabeth opened up the floor.

"So," She started, "Tell me a little bit about who you are and where you came from."

"I'm what you call an Ancient." Arik started, "I was placed in stasis, to maintain the Warship that your people found. However, I was placed in stasis to test it, and I was supposed to have been awakened before the ship was launched. Then once it was declared functional, I was going to be in stasis long term. Once the war was over, I was to wake up every 100 years to work on the ship, maintain and repair it. I was locked in for some reason, which is still unknown to me. I had worked on creating a majority of the ships systems before that. The woman in the other pod, she was my assistant."

"What was the ship going to be used for?" Elizabeth asked.

"It was our last effort to fight against the Wraith." Arik stated. "It was the best Warship we had ever created. It was equipped with better shielding, weapons and stardrive. It had more room than any other ship. We planned to use it after we were done fighting to make it a transport ship between galaxies. If all the fighting failed and the ship still stood intact, we were ordered to gather as many of our kind as possible and move them to a safer location, in a far away galaxy. It wasn't meant to be one nearby, which is why I was working on better stasis pods."

"Why not everyone?" Sheppard asked.

"We couldn't have transported the entire population of the galaxy at the time. We were, however, going to take the top people in their fields from certain planets. Apparently that didn't happen though. From the data that I read off of the Tiamat, I found that they decided to bury the project and retreat to Atlantis. They debated going against the order, but in the end the majority vote was to continue the evacuation. They shut the ship down so that no one without our genetic makeup could use it and left."

"Some of our people are descended from yours. There are a few with the gene and one of our best doctors created a gene therapy to give it to those who didn't. We've had some success with it, but not everyone takes to it." Dr. Weir stated.

"I can sense the natural gene in some of the people in this room. Most of the people I've already seen have it, or have had your therapy. I can feel the difference. Most of your people have it lying dormant actually. It's just not a dominant gene." Arik said.

"I wonder if you might be able to help Dr. Beckett with making a better therapy." Dr. Weir said.

"I'd be happy to once I learn some more crucial information." Arik said, "I'd like to find out how many Wraith are in the galaxy now and the populations of the worlds that are still standing. I also need to gather some of my research from the city."

"If it's still here, you are more than welcome to." Dr. Weir said. "I'm sure Issa and Dr. McKay would be willing to help you."

"I can guarantee that it's still here." Arik said. "What happened to Aminta?"

"The city's AI." Issa said to the rest of the room. "It was integrated into the city after the Ancients abandoned Atlantis. They thought that just by powering her down it would be enough, but she continued to blend into the city until she became the city."

"I told them that would happen." Arik said.

"And so it did." Issa nodded.

"May I look into the database?" Arik asked.

"I have no reason to tell you no." Sheppard said, then turned to Elizabeth. "He's been nothing but helpful."

"I'll authorize it." Elizabeth said, "Though you have to understand we are very cautious of the technology we are now in control of."

"I understand. I just would like to see." Arik said.

They walked out and into the control room where Arik took the nearby consol and opened it.

"Every time an Ancient walks in here and opens up a panel I haven't found, my brain explodes." McKay said quietly to Issa. She giggled.

Arik messed with a few control crystals and a screen fell down from the ceiling. He was reading the output from it and made a few moves of the crystals in the drawer that he pulled out. McKay and Issa were watching with curiosity, while Elizabeth was trying to keep up with the Ancient language that was streaming across the screen.

"There are more than there were. So many more." Arik said. "The Wraith have done nothing but populate."

"They're like rabbits. Rabbits with sharp pointy teeth." Sheppard said.

McKay and Issa try to contain their laughter at that.

"They just abandoned everything. If you wouldn't object, I'd like to talk to you all and try to understand what you have come across. I might also be able to help you repair some things that you might not have realized were there that would make your life much easier. There's also the weapons caches."

Issa groaned lightly and Arik looked over. She was gently shaking her head no.

"But they seem to look damaged. I might be able to get to them, I might not." Arik said smoothly.

"We'd appreciate the help. We've been here for five years and we've barely scratched the surface of this city." Elizabeth said.

"I can start by finding my lab and going from there to assess the damage done to the city." Arik said.

"Lead the way." Sheppard said.

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Three days later, Arik was going back and forth with Sheppard's team between Atlantis and the Tiamat. They got her operational and brought her back to Atlantis, where she was sitting on the largest pier the city had, which Arik had extended with the push of a button.

"She's fully operational." Rodney had told Dr. Weir as they sat at the lunch table.

"I can't wait to get a hive or two." Sheppard said.

"I'll authorize it shortly enough." Elizabeth said, "But for now, let's just keep our ace up our sleeve."

"Good point." Sheppard said sulking. Rodney flicked him with a rubber band. "That's not making me feel better." He stated. Issa stood in the doorway and laughed. She just didn't understand why her two biological parents flirted so hard and didn't do anything about it.

Ronon and Teyla were sitting with them, quiet as usual. Rodney and Sheppard were still flicking rubber bands at each other when Issa walked over.

"Hello." She said.

"Where's your attachment?" Rodney asked.

"He's in his lab starting his next project now that the Tiamat is fully functional." Issa said and sat down grabbing a fruit cup from Rodney's tray and half a sandwich from Sheppards. She kicked out a chair and flopped into it putting her feet up in another one. She took a bite saying, "God this is good. I haven't eaten in two days."

"Two days?" McKay asked shocked, "I'd be dead."

"Good thing I didn't inherit your hypoglycemia." Issa said taking another bite.

"Yeah, but you got his allergy to lemons." Sheppard said.

Issa sulked. "I know. It totally sucks." Issa said. Rodney nodded vigorously. "Though if I go for too long without food, I do get woozy."

Just as Sheppard was taking a bite, Issa asked him, "So why don't you two just get it over with?"

Sheppard choked a bit on his food and Rodney just glared at her.

"What are you talking about?" Rodney said innocently as Sheppard just glared.

"Well, c'mon, everyone notices the flirting. You've been living under imminent threat for five years. Don't tell me you haven't once…Oh My God, you haven't?" Issa said at Rodney's blank look and Sheppard's warning stare. "What?"

Sheppard stood up and left, McKay confused following after him.

"There's a stupid Earth policy," Ronon began, "Called Don't Ask, Don't Tell, or DADT. Essentially, men and women can't have relationships with the same sex."

"That's plain stupid. I talked to Shep about it a few days ago, but he didn't go that far in to it as to why they couldn't do anything about it. They're a match, but by the looks of things, Rodney has no idea." Issa said.

"He's pretty clueless sometimes." Teyla stated with a fond smile. "It amuses all of us."

"Perhaps we should enlighten him?" Issa said as Dr. Weir stood up.

"I'm afraid I'll have to walk away now, but I wish you luck." She said smiling.

Issa turned to Teyla and Ronon who had grins on their faces. "Now what to do about McKay and Shep…"

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Issa found her DNA givers in the mess where Sheppard had convinced Rodney to help decorate for Halloween.

"Why did I let you talk me into this?" He asked carving out a face on what looked like a purple pumpkin.

"Because it's fun. Just shut up and carve Rodney." John said.

"Hello Bio-dads." Issa said as she walked up. Both of them winced at being called dad and ever since Issa found out, she did it as often as possible.

"Hey kiddo." Sheppard said back. Now it was her time to wince.

"Decorating?" She asked.

"Isn't that obvious?" Rodney asked. "I don't understand why we follow the Earth traditions when we're a galaxy away. It just doesn't make sense."

Issa and Sheppard answered at the same time. "Because it's good for moral."

McKay snorted and Issa and Sheppard laughed. "I hate you both."

"No you don't Rodney," Sheppard said laughing, "You love us both and you know it."

"Yeah, whatever." Rodney said waving a hand and went back to carving the intricate face on his pumpkin.

"What's the purple pumpkin called anyway?" Issa asked.

"Ronon and Teyla call it a squash of some kind. Something like rantuk. It sounds like something you puked instead of something you eat." Rodney answered.

"I think I'll stick with purple pumpkin." Issa said.

"Most people are." Sheppard said grinning as he hung a bat from some fake spider webbing.

"Someone's decorating the chevrons on the gate." Issa said. "They're putting a Halloween item on each glyph. So far, they have a witch, a ghost, a bat, a jack o'lantern and a ghoul."

"Cool." Sheppard said. "If you've got time, sit down and grab a pumpkin."

"Sure." Issa said grinning. She was finally old enough to have a holiday and be big enough to use the tools. "I've never done this before."

"You'll do fine. Start with something easy." Rodney said pushing a book over at her. She skimmed through it and laughed "Pumpkin patterns? What happened to plain imagination?"

"You can do something if you want, but trust me, some of these are pretty hard to do. Even from your imagination." Rodney said.

"True. I'll do something from memory." Issa said.

She grabbed half of Rodney's tools, who yelled "HEY!" as she did so and went to carving. She was at it for an hour and had gained quite an audience when she finished, she sighed and looked up.

"Wow. Just wow." Elizabeth stated.

"What? It's not that hard once you get the feel of it." Issa said.

"Sure." Sheppard said.

"You just carved Atlantis from space on a pumpkin in an HOUR, and you're telling me it was EASY?" Rodney asked.

"Well, it's not perfect." Issa said.

"Shut up." Rodney said and went back to his pumpkin, stealing his tools back, muttering along the lines of "if she hadn't stolen my tools…"

"Sorry." Issa said shrugging. "I'm going to find Arik. He might get a kick out of carving one."

"Stupid perfect ascended genes." Rodney mumbled under his breath. Sheppard just patted his shoulder and laughed quietly.

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Five purple pumpkins later, Issa and Arik were putting them around the control room. They decided to have a party in the mess hall and gate room combined and decorated both locations. They were even going as far as to have a costume contest. Most people were really getting into the idea of celebrating the holidays.

Arik and Issa were taking a break from work for the next two days. Dr. Weir declared that all teams, unless they were involved in something crucial, were to have some down time. She tried to do it around all the holidays, even though it wasn't always possible.

"Do you have an idea what you are going to be?" Issa asked Arik.

"Well, I would go with the obvious choice," He said grinning, "Of Ancient, but I think it might be overdone around here."

Issa laughed. Ever since she told Arik about Earth traditions and holidays, he seemed to absorb them all with good humour. He was helping Beckett work on the gene therapy recently, but took some time off from it to enjoy the holiday spirit.

"We should do something traditional. Ghosts, Witches or Vampires." Issa said, "Though I don't know where to get the stuff by tomorrow."

"Come with me." Arik said grabbing her hand.

"Where are we going?" Issa asked.

"I realized that you either haven't found, or haven't figured out how to use it yet, but there's a program in the city that will pretty much give you whatever you need." Arik said.

"Like a replicator from Star Trek?" Issa asked. She had been introducing him, and herself, to Sheppard and McKay's DVD collections.

"Not quite, but it's very similar." Arik said. "Well, ok. It's really similar."

"Wow. I love you. You know where all the good stuff is." Issa said.

Arik just grinned and pulled her into a transporter. They came out on one of the lab levels and he pulled a consol from the wall.

"Rodney is gonna shit himself when he finds out about this." Issa said grinning widely.

"Just touch here and tell it what you want to have. Detailed descriptions work best. Sometimes it won't give you what you want if you don't tell it exactly." Arik said.

"Will it accept our measurements and such?" Issa asked.

"It knows your body. It's part of the AI, and she's been living with you for some time now. She will know. However, she can only do what she knows. So if your people have never shown her the item, she can't make it." Arik said.

"Well, seeing as how we haven't used it sine the AI integrated, I think we should test it gently. Let's see," She walked over to the consol and touched the crystal. She felt a small jolt, like she was static shocked.

"I'd like an apple. A red one. They are round with a star in the middle of them where the seeds grow. They have white flesh and a red skin." Issa said.

The machine glowed blue and a flash of light came and left, leaving behind what Issa asked for.

"Oh my god it worked!" Issa said giddily.

"She's still here." Arik said touching the walls. "She still watches."

"Ok. Halloween." Issa said rubbing her hands together and walking back over to the panel as she crunched on the apple. "I'd like ten yards of black fabric, sturdy and strong, but not leather. It should flow. It should be thick enough not to see through, but soft." Issa said into the machine. It flashed and deposited her fabric. "This rocks." She said. "I can't wait to show everyone."

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Sam and Jack were headed out back to Earth. Issa was sad to watch them go, after all, they were her parents, but they needed to get back to doing what they did too.

"We've got quite a report for the folks back home." Jack said, "I'm sure they'll look at this place a little differently now."

"It's a pleasure to come back as always. I'm sure I'll see you all around." Sam said.

"Bye mom, bye dad." Issa said hugging them both.

"Bye hon." Sam said. "We'll see you around."

"Don't forget to visit." Jack said.

"I won't." Issa said.

As the gate was being dialed, everyone else said their goodbyes.

"So which one of them is your father?" Arik asked Issa as they were standing back from the wormhole. Even with the shield, it was habit to stand outside of the splash zone. He was indicating to Rodney, John and Jack.

"Actually, it's a funny story, but in a way, all of them are." Issa said.

"How did that come to be?" Arik asked.

"Well, it's actually thanks to a device that Shep and Rodney found here. I'll show you later." Issa said.

"Interesting." Arik said pondering.

"It's a good story." Issa said smiling. She gave one last hug to Jack and Sam and watched them step through the gate.

"C'mon kiddo." Sheppard said putting his arm around her shoulders, "Let's got watch a scary movie. Tomorrow's Halloween."

"That'd be good." Issa said sniffling. She refused to cry though.

"Should we let Rodney pick it out or Arik?" Sheppard asked.

"Let them both decide." Issa said. "It'll be more interesting that way." She said as she threw her arm around Sheppard's waist. "Thanks bio-dad."

"Don't mention it." Sheppard said.

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"I can't believe you went there." Sheppard was talking to Issa.

"Teyla was the one who gave me the idea actually." Issa said. "We were talking about what I should dress up as for Halloween and I was describing a witch to her and she got the idea that I should be a Wraith Queen. It seemed like a good trade off for a witch. Plus, I make this look good." Issa said twirling.

They all laughed.

"Still. I think you pull it off a little too well." Sheppard said.

"Which is why I toned down the make up." Issa said, "I scared myself earlier in the mirror."

"Where did you get all this stuff anyway?" McKay asked. "I know you didn't get it from Earth, we haven't had any recent shipments."

"Umm. I'll tell you later." Issa said grinning sheepishly. She still hadn't shared their little secret.

She had won second place in the costume contest, only outdone by Chuck, who had perfected a Dracula costume that he'd been working on since last year's contest. Third went to a biologist, who dressed up as a plant.

"Some strange costumes." Arik said. He had chosen to dress as a mummy after carefully consideration of Earth's customs.

"This is nothing. If you could go to Earth and see a night club tonight, you'd be amazed." Sheppard said. Rodney just raised his eyebrows at him.

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Rodney had been left speechless when Issa told him what Arik had showed her.

"That's it!" He shouted, "The city hates me. I'm done." He threw down his tablet and walked away, but they all knew he'd never leave. Regardless of her not showing him things, the city did actually like him, and he knew it.

"Aww Rodney, c'mon buddy, it's not like she didn't love me better than you since the very beginning." Sheppard drawled in Rodney's direction.

"Not helping." Rodney said, hands over his chest pouting a little.

"Stop pouting and think about how cool it'll be." Issa said, "Just because Arik and I found it first doesn't mean you don't get to use it."

"Not the point." Rodney grumbled, but acquiesced and walked over.

After a few hours of running diagnostics on the machine, they declared it fully functional and usable. Everyone in the city was thrilled when they found out and even happier when Arik mentioned that there were several like it throughout the city.

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End Chapter 5

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	6. Chapter 6

Title: Isobel  
Author: bluedrgn52  
Pairing: Eventual McShep, Isobel/Arik (my characters), Implied Carter/O'Neill and O'Neill/Jackson (but I wouldn't classify it as a cross over really, I shortly borrowed them and a few SGA characters through out the story, but they're kinda background.)  
Rating: Eventually MA, but this is pretty much set up and innocent.  
Spoilers: It's pretty AU, but I'd say if you've seen seasons 1,2 and 3 you're pretty ok. After that, I blur the lines a bit.  
Word count: 31,000 something at this point  
Summary/Warnings: You might go WTF at first, but it'll all be explained. Don't worry. I made up a few characters and it's an AU. I think that's about it.  
Disclaimer: Just borrowing the characters, except for Isobel and Arik, who are mine. :D  
Author's Notes: I really miss Dr. Weir, so she's in this one as the expedition leader still. It's pretty much straight Atlantis AU, but follows the time line from the show.

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Chapter 6

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Between the holidays of Halloween and Thanksgiving, Issa showed Arik how she came into existence. He told her about the creator of the device, who he was, and what he was trying to accomplish.

Two weeks before Thanksgiving, Issa found Arik crying in the jumper bay. He looked lost, and when she asked him why, he said that he didn't belong and things were so complicated. She said she didn't belong anyway, but they had all accepted her.

Fortunately, Elizabeth was smart enough to not tell the IOA about Arik. There was a general consensus that there were things going on in the Pegasus galaxy that other people didn't know about. Jack and Sam went back home telling the SGC that Issa had accomplished what Arik was giving them, and they were all ok with that. They didn't need him sent back to Earth to be dissected by the leaders and the IOA.

Two days before Thanksgiving, Daniel gated in to Atlantis. Rodney groaned his displeasure aloud, but Issa was happy to see him, knowing that he was the best for the job she had in mind for him. There were several databases about the Ancients, where they were going when they left the city (and not all of them went to Earth), and Daniel said he had two months of leave. He wasn't sure if he was going to take it all or not, so they were going on a day to day basis.

He was a bit surprised to meet Arik, but they worked together well. Arik was a nice buffer between McKay and Jackson as well. Issa had raided Daniel's room pretty quickly and stolen the latest DVDs from Earth and had held them hostage, promising both Daniel and Rodney that if they played nice, they'd both get to see the latest Doctor Who.

Elizabeth once again made Thanksgiving a mandatory off day, unless the Wraith decided to show up. Issa still sort of worked. She had plans lying on a table in the mess hall of what she wanted to do with the extra ZPMs they had. It was still early morning, so no one had staked out tables for dinner that night yet. She was wondering how best to move the people who had agreed to move under the protection of an Ancient city. The city on Athos would work nicely once they finished the repairs. The ground crops were overgrown, but the soil on that planet was excellent and the shield that the old city would provide would allot for several acres of farmland outside of the city, but within the shield. Even Teyla agreed it would be a good choice.

They had sent teams out a few days ago to assess the damage and they said that the structure of the city was still very much intact, but there were a few minor things that needed to be done. A few beams needed to be reinforced, but otherwise, it was in good condition. Zelenka's science team had gone through and found that most of the components worked with a ZPM attached, but some things needed to be re-wired. They were looking at about a month or two before it was habitable.

She was also looking over other city schematics that she had gathered with scans from Rodney's new PDA. There were several Ancient abandoned cities out there, and they were all in several states of deterioration. Some were better than others, due to climate and the fact that some ZPMs stood for an extra 1, 2 or 5,000 years more than others. Regardless, about half of the cities they wouldn't be able to use, due to extreme weather, or star system changes, or a number of other things. They would, however, produce some scrap for the other cities that they could fix. Rodney and Issa were also looking up ways that they could possibly make a shield device. They revisited the "kid planet" as McKay had affectionately called it (with about 50 chocolate bars in hand) and had looked over their shielding attempting to see if they might be able to mimic it. While it was complicated and required further study (McKay actually groaned aloud when Issa had said that) they might be able to come up with something.

Essentially, it meant that the people of the Pegasus galaxy might not have to live in fear of the Wraith for much longer. It was going to piss the Wraith off. Issa had no doubts about that, but she also knew that they were done running from them and wanted them to take the gene therapy or simply die. She really didn't care how it turned out, as long as the people were safe.

She was bent over the paperwork when Arik found her.

"I do believe we are supposed to have the day off from our work." Arik said. Issa smiled.

"Of course. I just wanted to finish this off before I forgot about it." Issa said.

"It's done. You can finish it later. It's a holiday on your world. Celebrate it." Arik said.

"It's only turkey, football and thanking the settlers and Indians for screwing us up." Issa said, then snapped her fingers in a very McKay like manner. "Football. Oh my god, why didn't I think of it sooner?" Issa ran up to the gateroom and asked Dr. Weir to dial Earth.

"What's the matter?" Elizabeth asked.

"Absolutely nothing, but I need to talk to a technician on Earth. We're going to keep a wormhole open for a while." Issa said. "We have a DVR, right?"

"Yes. And several TVs. Issa what is this about?" Elizabeth asked looking confused.

"Football. Moral." Issa said. In those two words, Elizabeth understood.

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"I can't believe you got it." Sheppard was saying.

"If Jack taught me anything, it was that Thanksgiving wasn't Thanksgiving without football." Issa said.

"I'm really glad you did it too." McKay said. "Now I don't have to throw that ball at him and pray he doesn't go over a balcony trying to catch it."

Sheppard smiled and threw his arm over Rodney's shoulder. "Let's go watch some ball Rodney." He said and led him away to one of the couches that were filled with tons of people relaxing.

"Turkey dinner and football," Arik said, "I think I will like this holiday."

"And purple pumpkin pie. Just wait until Christmas." Issa said chuckling.

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A week after Thanksgiving, Sheppard's team plus Arik had gone on to investigate a planet that wasn't in their database or Issa's memories. Arik provided it saying that if it was still accessible, they would be able to start their plans of relocating the inhabitants of Pegasus immediately. He turned out to be right.

They found a large network of underground tunnels, built by the Ancients so very long ago. They were, however, in perfect condition.

"I know you have met the Tok'Ra from reading your mission reports." Arik said, "From what I can remember and have filled in, they discovered our technology some time ago. However, they weren't able to duplicate it properly. Our tunnels last until we bring them down."

"What's the material made out of that it can do that?" Ronon asked the room at large.

"It's not material at all." Issa said scanning it.

"It's the molecules themselves." McKay said, sounding awed. "You've rearranged and frozen them."

"Exactly." Arik stated looking smug. "I'll show you the process later."

He showed them around and the tunnels were vast enough to start the temporary relocation of people until the cities were built. They found a way to power them, so they wouldn't have to live without anything while they were there, and Arik showed them how to ventilate them properly. One ZPM would do the trick to keep everything operating smoothly, and also put in place a shield above the tunnels that would protect the entrances from unwanted 'vampiric' guests.

They spent the day there, and were worn out by the time they got back to Atlantis. Daniel was in the gate room when they arrived back, waiting for Issa and Arik.

"I found something you two will want to see." Daniel said standing up and walking away.

"I think we should follow him." Issa said and started after him.

"We'll debrief Weir." John said.

"Thanks." Issa grabbed Arik's jacket and hurried after Daniel. They found him in front of a corridor off the main hallway.

"Come this way." He said, and stepped through the wall. Issa and Arik followed and stood gaping on the other side.

"What's this about?" Issa asked.

They were standing in a very large room which held a large machine. The machine was spitting planets out at random.

"It's scanning planets for life. So far, from what I can tell, we're twelve galaxies over in the opposite direction of the Milky Way. It's also recording them in a database here. It's been scanning for the past ten thousand years. It's classifying not only by life, but what stage of development it's in. It's looking for human life, but also life from other species. I have no idea how it's doing it, but it's been going for quite a long time." Daniel said.

"What's the power source?" Arik asked.

"You didn't know about it?" Issa asked him.

"I told you, many of us had plans that we were not all privy to." Arik stated.

"All I know is that it has its own power source." Daniel said.

"Issa to McKay." Issa said tapping her radio. Daniel rolled his eyes, but didn't let her see it. "I'm going to need you and a science team down here ASAP. Yes, you can have a shower first, but you might miss out on something _really_ cool….see you soon Rodney."

Rodney ran into the room less than five minutes later.

"There's a science team behind me, what have we….oh wow. That's new." Rodney said.

"I found it." Daniel said.

"Goody you." Rodney said.

They filled McKay in on what the device was. They tried to find its power source, because anything that could continue to run for 10,000 years and didn't blow up the city was worth looking into. Turned out that the science of it all was very close to a matter bridge, which made Rodney exceedingly nervous.

"It's just that the first one didn't turn out so well." He stated frowning at the machine. "I say we leave it alone. What harm is it doing? It's just scanning. There's enough in the database for generations of people to go through. Let it be." McKay stated, and then said, "I'm going to get a shower. We'll keep an eye on it. Start to go through the data. We might find something useful nearby."

Issa shrugged and Daniel looked giddy. He'd be happy to look for civilizations they hadn't come across yet.

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A week before Christmas, the team had just finished relocating a world, which was close to a Wraith home world, to another planet. They were going to use the tunnels as a temporary housing station. It had been agreed by everyone that Atlantis should remain solely in their control. Mainly, they didn't want to worry about there being Genii or other spies in their city. The other cities would hold the same amount of people as Atlantis and there was no threat there. The tunnels were a nice place to "hide" people in-between relocating so the Wraith couldn't follow them through the gate to see where they went (being underground tunnels that the Wraith had no clue about) and the people were able to make sure they got everything they needed from their world before moving on. The city they were relocating the people to (Athos) was currently fully operational, with 3 ZPMs in the core. The shield was not in use unless they detected anything, and they already had three other worlds living in that city. Apparently this had made trade flourish among those peoples and the agreement to stay in the city was called "quite a success" by Teyla, who was the head of the negotiations table for the newest city's populace, as her people were one of the planets relocating and she was head of her people. She didn't have to be there all the time, but if the new council government couldn't settle something, she was a tie breaker. Things seemed to be coming along quite nicely.

With the information from the database that Daniel had been working on (he had gone home after the first two weeks in the city, after a call from General O'Neill) and the fact that they had a seemingly unlimited number of ZPMs, between Arik and Issa, they had quite a stash of knowledge if any ever couldn't be recharged and needed replaced, they realized that they could connect a gate to another galaxy aside from the Milky Way and attempt to make contact with people there.

Initially the SGC hesitated. They already had problems with the Ori and the Wraith. Knowing the pattern, they weren't inclined to come across a new territory of bad guys; but it was the potential technology and knowledge led them to come to the conclusion that if they had the coordinates and the gate would lock to let them do it. The SGC would have to be kept in the loop, but Atlantis looked like it was setting up to be a central base colony for exploration.

The Tiamat was fully operational, but was currently sitting on the extended pier of the city, or making quick flights in orbit, or to the star in their system and back. They didn't want the Wraith to get any whiff of their new ship, or the newest technology on it. Elizabeth worked with Arik and McKay and they found a way to cloak the ship when it was docked, just in case. They had also discovered upgrades to the shields and cloak, so they could cloak and shield at the same time. Arik said it would drain a lot of power though. Issa just shrugged. It's not like she couldn't just refill them.

Arik was at a loss as to why she could do certain things. He said it must be partially because of her being ascended that she had "super powers" They started shortening her new tricks to ISP – or Issa's Super Powers. Every time she'd get something different or new, she'd go to Keller, who really had no choice but to scan her, take blood and get back to her. No harm was coming to Issa though. However, she did manage to start to work on her telepathy, honing and focusing it so that it could be more useful. She also realized that she was a bit of a firestarter. This made a lot of people very nervous, because of the Ori, and their obsession with fire. Though Issa noticed that her flames were generally blue, not red. She found out when they were helping the refugees onto Athos and the ground was too damp to light a fire. Issa got frustrated and blue sparks flew out of nowhere, landed on a tree and dried it enough to catch hold and start a normal fire. She didn't tell anyone at first, but when they got back to Atlantis, Sheppard said he saw her new trick. She sighed and trekked it to the infirmary.

Dr. Keller's scans revealed that Issa was fairly normal, except for her ISP, minor citrus allergies and a minor protein deficiency. They sent her back out into the world with a promise to come back, or be dragged back by Sheppard, in 48 hours.

Arik and Issa continued to work on several projects. They opened up a few labs for McKay and the rest of the science team to investigate and Rodney hadn't left except for accompany them on a few off world missions and to eat and sleep. Sheppard had been looking despondent lately, so they opened up a new area of the city with Ancient weaponry for him to salivate over. He brought a group of Marines with the ATA gene and they were showing them how the new weapons worked. Most of them were simple arms, because Arik and Issa were working on the Ancient equivalent to rail guns that protected the city, which had gone unnoticed when they first arrived because they sunk into the city when not in use. It was going to be a surprise for the commander for his birthday in two weeks. Hiding them from him was surprisingly easy once they gave him the weapons cache to "play" with.

Arik was fitting in very well, as was Issa. Dr. Weir had finally talked to the SGC about their newest arrival, but claimed he was from a now destroyed world (not a complete lie!) that had used a lot of Ancient tech before the Wraith had attacked it. When Issa asked him how he felt about fitting in, he said he felt he was doing alright. The human population was very similar in a lot of ways to the Ancients, and he felt the grip of his entire civilizations death, it was lessening the more he spent time in his new surroundings.

Arik was also working with Dr. Beckett to form a better ATA therapy that helped bring out the dormant ATA gene in almost every human being. The problem was that with so many years of humans breeding, the gene was very much distorted. It required them to open a new lab for gene therapy which had Carson drooling. He and his team were in that lab almost as much as McKay and his team were in theirs. Which is why Elizabeth had required a mandatory staff meeting with two days left until Christmas. She needed more frequent updates from her team leaders. She also planned on making them have at least three days of rest for the Christmas holiday.

"Please sit down." Elizabeth said smiling as Issa and Arik walked in.

Sitting around the table were Teyla, Ronon, Sheppard and McKay, Zelenka, Elizabeth, Arik then Issa, Lorne, Dr. Keller and a few others. It wasn't a full formal staff meeting, but it was pretty close.

"I've asked to hold this meeting so that we can all catch up on what we've been doing over the past few weeks." Elizabeth said then turned to Teyla, "How's the Athos settlement?"

"They've been relocating very well. My people along with the Degan people and the Trimarians have been creating an infrastructure that allows for the individual cultures within the city, and a main trading area. They're gate room and surrounding areas have become the main trade market. Each people have taken up residence in a wing of their city, so the cultures of each people are thriving. However, they are all working together very well. I believe it was a good idea to keep certain central locations, such as their infirmary and mess hall, as community areas; but have their living quarters among their own people. I also think it was wise to have cultures together who have proved that they can get together well, with similarities in each. Things seem to be progressing well. There is talk of adding another two civilizations into the other two sections of the city that are open."

"How are they handling operating the Ancient tech?" Elizabeth asked.

"Quite well." Teyla started again, "With the help of the scientists and the gene therapy, groups have emerged to handle the operations of the gate, and any other day to day issues for the people who do not have the gene, or did not take the therapy. I think they will be able to operate the city on their own in a few months with us just checking in. The government is also going well; the council was a wonderful idea that lets people be treated fairly. "

"That's fantastic news. Perhaps in a few more months, we'll be ready to open up another settlement?" Elizabeth said, turning to Major Lorne.

"There's another three cities that have been put on the list ma'am." Lorne said, "They'll most likely be operational within a few months. So if we could enlist the help of Teyla in a month or so, we can go offworld to continue talking with our allies about re-locating."

"Colonel Sheppard," Elizabeth said turning again, "how are those new weapons looking?"

"They're coming along. We're training everyone who has the gene to operate them. It's really similar to most other ancient tech, you just have to think it on and tell it to work for it to function. The problem is getting your mind to not shoot yourself in the foot." Sheppard said and Arik chuckled.

"We had the same problem when we invented them." Arik said. "For the first few months, injuries were rather interesting."

"Nice to know we're not the only ones." Sheppard said, "Sometimes the mental component of your tech is a hindrance."

"I quite agree, but the benefits outweigh the risks." Arik said and Sheppard nodded back at him.

"Dr. McKay," Elizabeth said, "Dr. Zelenka, how are those labs? Have you found anything that we can use?"

"We've found so much that we can use; we're not sure what to focus on first." McKay said gleefully.

They talked about the science that was found for a while and Issa blanked out. It's not that she wasn't interested; it's just that she already knew what was in the labs. She was tapping her tablet pen on the table to a very specific rhythm, when she realized that Arik was doing the same. About the time she noticed, Elizabeth noticed.

"What was that?" She asked Issa.

"I'm not sure." Issa said frowning and carefully set the tablet pen back inside the tablet.

"I might know. We should speak with you, Dr. Keller." Arik said standing, then grabbed Issa's arm and Dr. Keller's and dragged them off.

"What's going on?" Jennifer asked.

"It's a possible, unlikely, highly complicated situation." Arik said. "I will explain once we run some tests and we need your infirmary for that." He turned to Issa once they reached the infirmary, after directing Keller to draw their blood and run her standard tests as quickly as possible. She complied, but her look showed that she was going to demand an explanation very shortly. Issa was currently giving Arik the exact same look. Once they were in private, Arik spoke.

"The device you were born from can cause a link from one person to another. Which is one of the reasons it wasn't used after a few trials. They realized that if someone had come from the void of the ascended, they were not bound to our reality for very long. In order to stay, they had to be bonded to one of us, specifically a very rare Ancient breed. I have a deficiency among my people which doesn't affect me on a physical level, but on a cellular one, which makes me different. I am one of the people with whom you can bond." He explained.

"What are you talking about?" Issa said. "If I don't bond, I'll go back up to - to wherever I came from?"

"Exactly." Arik said. "I noticed that most of the people from Earth also have the cellular deficiency when I was working with Dr. Beckett on the gene therapy, so I am not the only one with whom you can bond, but I am the only one who knows of your condition, and I have knowledge of the machine, which makes me a highly logical choice."

"What will it entail and how long do I have if I don't choose to do so." Issa said crossing her arms and planting her feet on the ground, showing off her both of her paternal parentages in one stance.

"If you do not do it, the time varies. Have you had a protein deficiency in your weekly blood tests yet?" Arik asked.

"Last week it showed up." Issa said. "After the fire incident."

"You have about two more months before you will start to weaken. Eventually, you will ascend within about 6 of your months. You have no choice. Being how you came into existence, your path is laid out for you. However, the ascended aren't cruel and will give you the opportunity to have a semi-normal life if you bond."

"Define semi-normal." Issa said frowning.

"You will be able to keep the 'ISP' you have already developed, but you will not be able to continue any further once you are bonded." Arik said. "And you will not be able to part from your bonded partner for more than a few days at a time at first, after progressing, a few weeks at most. Initially, we will be required to be very close, then over time, we can work on separating physically, but the mental connection will still be there."

"What mental connection?" Issa asked, her eyes narrowing.

"The one that already exists between us. Don't pretend you haven't noticed it." Arik said mirroring her stance. "The one that just came out between us in the meeting room."

"Coincidence." Issa stated, waving her hand.

"No. It's not. We're already connected." Arik said. "In a way, you've already started to bond with me."

"Damn. I suppose I don't really have a choice in this then?"

"Not if you want to continue to live among these people and not ascend, no." Arik said, "Though as I said, you can choose to bond with someone else, but it will mean explaining it and the effort would be greater, as we have already begun to bond."

"Fine. If it keeps me here, I will do it. How do you know so much about it anyway?" Issa asked.

"My father created the machine. My mother came into being just like you did. I was born about ten years later. Their bond eventually broke when my father was killed by the Wraith, and my mother ascended in a matter of a few days." With that, he walked out of the infirmary, leaving Issa gaping in his wake.

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End Chapter 6

++TBC++

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	7. Chapter 7

For all the disclaimers and stuff, see Chapter one. I got tired of putting them in here.

AND……..

OMG, I'm *so so so* sorry it's been so long since I last updated. The writers block bug ate my brain, and real life got in the way. But I'm back and I have this chapter, and another two being written right now. These are currently unbeta'd so any mistakes are purely mine and I'm sorry. Feel free to point them out, or volunteer to Beta for me. :D

~~ Beka.

Enjoy!!

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Chapter 7

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"What a great Christmas present." Issa said sighing on the infirmary bed.

"It isn't all that bad." Jennifer said, looking down at the woman glaring up at her. "Oh please, like you haven't noticed he's gorgeous and he drools over you already."

"What?!" Issa exclaimed. "If he's half as obvious as Ronon is with you, hit me over the head." Jennifer had the good sense to blush. But said, "Oh honestly, you are so oblivious. Maybe it's because you didn't grow up with Earth's young adult rituals, but the man is practically courting you." Jennifer stated with an eye roll.

"Who says courting? I suppose he's not so bad. I mean, the bond isn't like marriage or anything. The more he explained it the other night, the more I realized that it's mainly a mental bond. The physical stuff will wear off after a while…well, to a certain point. It's only there to intensify it in the beginning so that I can stay here. We're also getting it done quicker than the other people who have gone through this have, according to him. The first time someone went through this process, she had to almost die before they figured out what was happening." Issa said.

"I wouldn't mind being bonded to the man." Jennifer said, with a wicked gleam in her eye. "And I sure as hell would take being bonded to going back to ascended heaven."

"True enough. I don't remember it, aside from the distinct feeling of being lonely." Issa said, shivering a little bit.

"C'mon. Let's go talk to Arik." Jennifer said.

It had been two days since Arik's revelation and Issa told Jennifer and Elizabeth, who had called Earth and had Carter sent back through the gate to be with her. Elizabeth and Sam were talking in Elizabeth's office while Jennifer ran Issa's weekly tests again. Arik had been giving Issa space to decide what she wanted to do.

"I wonder why he doesn't mind the idea of it." Issa said. "I have to talk to him. I mean, it's his life as much as it's mine."

"You should. See what his reasoning is." Jennifer said.

"I think I will. Go tell mom and 'Lizbeth what the tests say. I'll be back up there in a bit. I have an Ancient to find." Issa said.

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Issa found Arik standing out on the North Pier. He had a beer in his hand, which means that either Sheppard or McKay had recently been there. Issa figured she might as well just bite the bullet and go with it.

"Why did you volunteer to bond with me? You said we were already starting to. What happens to you if I bond with someone else or decide not to?" Issa said.

Arik smirked and turned to her. "I knew you'd ask that. You're quite perceptive."

"Thanks. Now answer." Issa said.

"I volunteered for many reasons. I already gave you some of them. I know what you are going through, my father invented it and I know how it works, you don't have to explain it to me, and we're already bonding. The reasons I didn't tell you are that I feel very comfortable around you, I think you're one of the only people here who understands me and I have developed feelings for you." Arik said. Issa shifted a little and walked over to him, leaning over the balcony a bit, looking out at the sea. He continued, "I currently have no choice but to bond with you, though I would choose to if I *did* have a choice. We've spent a lot of time together when you were sending out the original "call" so to speak, of your bond. I answered it without even realizing it. If I don't bond with you, I will go through a period of time that will be uncomfortable for me, but I will survive. However, it will feel as though part of me is missing for the rest of my life." Arik answered honestly, Issa could see that.

"No offence, but the Ancients were fucked up." Issa said sighing.

"I believe you are correct in that." Arik said, leaning elbows on the railing.

"I hope you are ready for this." Issa said, "Because I plan on staying here, and you're right. You're the logical choice for me to bond to."

"Then we should get started quickly." Arik said, "The faster we conclude the bond, the less pain you will be in."

"Let's go tell everyone." Issa said, then stopped and laughed, a bit morbidly. "I feel like I'm getting married, or telling someone's family that their kid died."

Arik raised an eyebrow at her. "Nevermind. Let's just get this over with." Issa stated.

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"Are you sure you want to go through with this?" Elizabeth asked Issa.

"Positive." Issa said. Dr. Keller was there to observe from a medical standpoint and would stay in the room. From the observation deck stood Sheppard, McKay and Elizabeth.

"And you are sure as well?" Elizabeth asked Arik.

"I am sure." Arik stated.

"I'm inclined to let you, but I don't like it." Elizabeth said. "I'll be in the deck with them." She left the room.

"You may watch us, but please do not touch us until I tell you that it is alright to do so." Arik said addressing Dr. Keller.

"I understand." She said.

"No matter what, there can be no physical contact with anyone outside of our bond. No matter what you see. It might not be something you are used to, but you have to understand that if you break this initiation and touch either of us, Issa will be lost." Arik stated.

Issa swallowed and nodded at Jennifer, then stated that perhaps she should watch from above the isolation room as well. Jennifer was hesitant, but in the end agreed that she might be tempted to interfere and removed herself from the room. Issa mentally locked the room shut, especially against Sheppard, and looked Arik in the eye nodding her head to proceed.

Arik sat on the floor, and Issa mirrored him. Sitting Indian style, he lay his hands on top of her empty palms. They agreed to let Dr. Keller put monitors on them and record what was going to happen with their cameras.

"Think about the existing bond between us." Arik said in a quiet voice. "Imagine a line between us, drawn to one another like magnetic force."

Issa thought. She also felt a sharp pain in her chest, trying to pull her away from Arik.

"Concentrate on keeping the union strong." Arik stated, gripping her hands a bit harder. "Don't let it tear you away."

"Are you sure this is the right thing to do?" Issa said, opening her eyes and making eye contact with Arik.

"Yes. If you wish to stay here, this has to be done. Some parts might hurt a little. Look at me and think about the bond."

Issa looked at him, and felt the pain lessen. "The line we are concentrating on will continue to grow stronger. This may take a while." He said for the benefit of the people watching.

Suddenly, the room began to glow. It was as though the city was coming alive beneath them.

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"What the hell?" Sheppard said in the observation deck.

"Don't interrupt. Arik warned us." Jennifer stated seriously.

"I won't. It's just…unnerving." Sheppard said.

"It's not showing any power spikes. Everything is normal." McKay stated.

"Their condition is still stable." Dr. Keller said.

Carter just paced around.

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Back in the isolation room, Arik and Issa were oblivious to everything happening around them. It was as though they were in a bubble.

{What's going on?} Issa asked.

(It's happening. Just concentrate on the bond. That's all you have to do until it's complete.) Arik said.

{How do I know when it's complete?} Issa asked him.

(You will know. It's already stronger. We're talking in our minds.) Arik stated.

"We are!?" Issa exclaimed out loud, startling herself and the people watching. She smiled at him again. {I guess we are!}

(Keep thinking Issa. You're doing well. We're almost there. Can you feel it?) Arik asked.

Issa nodded, she did indeed feel the connection between them, stronger. The pain was almost gone. After ten minutes or so, there was a white flash around them. They were literally encased in a bubble.

{What's that?} Issa asked.

(The city is protecting us. The final process cannot be stopped, and it can be a bit unnerving for those watching.) Arik said calmly.

{I have a feeling this is going to hurt.} Issa said to him in her head.

(It will.) Arik said solemnly.

Suddenly, a sharp quick pain encased both of them, the electrodes that Dr. Keller had carefully placed on them fell off and the two people started to float off the floor, encased in a bright white bubble.

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"What the HELL is THAT?" Sheppard asked McKay above them.

"I … I have no idea." McKay said, as all the equipment in the room blacked out and they were in darkness, aside from the bright white glow coming from the room below them.

"I'm going in there." Sheppard said.

"No." Sam and Dr. Keller both stated at the same time.

"She's in danger." Sheppard said.

"She's not. Look at her. Look at him!" Sam said.

"She's right John." McKay said, "She seems…fine."

"From here!" John said, but he stayed in the room, pacing back and forth.

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Down below, the pain had eased and a peaceful calm filled the two of them.

(Can you still hear me?) Arik asked.

{I can.} Issa said.

(It's concluded.) Arik said. (Let them back in before your dad has a heart attack.)

Issa snorted at him and unlocked the room and Sheppard steam rolled in.

"What the hell happened?" He demanded.

"We're bonded." Arik simply stated.

"Are you ok?" Sheppard asked Issa.

{Wow he's overprotective.} Issa thought, then sighed when she heard Arik stifle a laugh. "I'm find _dad_." She emphasized.

"That was the…well, obviously, I've been hanging around you too long Sheppard. That was the coolest thing I've ever seen." McKay said stepping in.

Dr. Keller examined them and gave them the all clear.

"We have to stay within close proximity. No more than a few feet apart for the next few weeks." Arik told Issa aloud so that the entire room could hear. "Otherwise, the bond could break and you will ascend, whether you want to or not."

"I understand." Issa said, then turned to Dr. Weir. "Did you get that room I asked for?"

"We did. There's quarters ready for you two. They're down the hall from these guys." Elizabeth said, pointing to Sheppard and McKay.

{Great. She put us in the escort camp.} Issa thought, rolling her eyes.

Arik chuckled.

"Oh, by the way, I can hear his thoughts and he can hear mine now." Issa said aloud to the room.

"What!?" Jennifer squeaked. "Under the scanner, both of you now. I'm doing a full analysis."

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"Tests and blood work came back that they are both within normal parameters, although they both have heightened activity in their frontal lobes." Dr. Keller said to Elizabeth and Sheppard.

"They can read each others minds. Issa laughs in the middle of stuff now, without a reason and I look over at Arik and he's smirking at me." Sheppard said.

"It's only been a week." Dr. Keller said. "They're both stable and Issa isn't experiencing any unusual symptoms."

"Keep an eye on them John." Elizabeth said.

"Otherwise, I'm going to knock them down to weekly check ups. They don't need daily ones anymore, and they're stable enough that they don't have to touch one another anymore. Arik said they still need to be a few feet from one another, or else the bond will fall apart. Which Issa is adamant will not happen." Jennifer said.

"We want her to stay here." John said reluctantly. He didn't like the bonding thing, but he did want to keep his daughter on the same plane of existence he was in. After all, she was his blood.

"Yes John, we do." Elizabeth said without rolling her eyes, which John gave her credit for.

"I get it. I just don't like it." John said.

"We'll figure it out." Dr. Keller said.

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"I think your dad has something against me." Arik said one evening. They were in their shared quarters, sitting on the beds that were not quite touching one another.

"If you stopped telling me dirty jokes to me in my thoughts and making me laugh in the middle of meetings, he'd probably lighten up. By the way, no more hanging around the Marines." Issa said with a smirk.

"You've ruined all my fun I had planned for the next week." Arik said pouting.

"You know, I like that we can talk privately in our heads, but I'm glad we don't do it all the time. It got annoying having you in there constantly." Issa said ignoring Arik's fake pout.

"It can be beneficial. I believe that the Colonel has limited who knows about the ability as well." Arik stated.

"It's being kept under wraps. We don't need that kind of information going out. Actually, most of this is. Most people simply assume that we've formed a relationship and Elizabeth is letting us because I'm a genius and know how to network the city." Issa said chuckling.

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Over the next month or so, the expedition had moved several populations off their home worlds to protected cities. Issa was on the verge of making the entire planet of Athos shielded with a network of crossed ZPMs. Her and Arik were still bonded, but they weren't completely glued to one another. They were able to be about halfway across Atlantis without the sharp pains telling them to get the hell back together NOW. Issa was still grounded from going offworld however, and she was getting restless.

"I want to test the network on Athos myself." She told John one night in the mess hall.

"McKay can handle it." Sheppard said spearing a vegetable that looked like asparagus and giving it the evil eye.

"I want to be there. Look Shep, you can't keep me here under lock and key forever. Arik and I built that system. I can help set it up. You need me there." She leaned back in the chair and crossed her arms over her chest in a distinctively McKay like action.

"I'll talk to Elizabeth about it." Sheppard said.

"Unbiased." Issa said not moving an inch and adding a death glare.

"Yes darling daughter. I'll let her know that you feel it imperative that you be there." John stated, slightly amused. It was comical to see how much of a cross she was between him and McKay when they had no say in her upbringing, however short it was.

"Thank you." Issa said, then took her food tray and stood up. "I've gotta run. I'm sparring with Ronon in a half hour."

"Should be fun. Mind if I pop in and watch?" Sheppard asked taking a bite of the green spear.

"Nope. C'mon over. I'm gonna kick his ass." Issa said grinning.

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John had to admit that no one, not even Ronon, could keep up with Issa in hand to hand combat. It was actually quite impressive. He knew that logically she could hold her own, but he still tended to be a bit overprotective.

"You did good kid." John said as Issa walked off the sparring mat.

"Thanks. I told you I'd kick his ass." Issa said.

"I went easy on you." Ronon said winking as he walked by.

"So what did Elizabeth say?" Issa said.

"She thinks that you're ready to go offworld." John said, glaring at her when she grinned at him.

"What?" Issa asked in a sugary sweet voice, feigning innocence. "I just want to make sure the idiots don't blow up a planet that has a huge population on it already. If we get this working, we can move just about everyone we've contacted onto Athos. It's a big planet."

"I understand; which is why it's approved. Arik has to go through some combat training though, just in case something happens."

"That's fine. I'll let him know." Issa said, then though to Arik and let him know.

(Is that necessary?) Arik asked back.

{Yes. Be a big boy and report to Sheppard…hang on a sec.} "What time to do you want to see him?" She asked him.

"In an hour." Sheppard said looking at her a little funny. He still wasn't used to that.

{About an hour.} Issa thought.

(Yes yes, now go look over the plans.) Arik said chuckling.

"Sorry." Issa apologized to Sheppard.

"It's a little strange knowing that you're having a conversation in your head with someone." John said.

"I know. It was weird to me at first too. It's gotten better though. I no longer hear his every thought, but he's there when I reach for him. Ever since it happened, I can feel the city too. Though when I try to reach her, it feels blocked." Issa said contemplating. "I'm not really sure what to make of that."

"Maybe it's because she's integrated now?" Sheppard offered.

"Could be. It's something to explore in the future." Issa said shrugging. She'd worry about it later.

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(A few days later)

Issa connected the last of the networks together and stood back clicking her radio on.

"Issa to Daedalus, I've just made the final connection. Arik and I are ready to beam aboard to check from there." She glanced at McKay who smirked and had his data pad ready.

"I'll monitor it all from here." He said.

"Thanks." Issa said. She would have ideally liked Arik to beam up and her to stay on the planet to monitor but their unique connection wouldn't allow that. A flash of light later, she was standing on the Daedalus with Arik.

"Thanks." Issa said grinning at Caldwell. "Appreciate the lift."

"No problem Iss." Caldwell said. Initially he had been freaked out by her, but she had won him over pretty quickly when she figured out his favourite food and made it perfectly for him through the city's new and shiny replication devices.

"So," She said turning to Arik, "We just have to make sure the network is sound and the shielding doesn't have any holes in it and then we should be good, right?" Issa said.

"Correct. If we get this initialized, it should function well as a front line against the Wraith. The city itself will have their own shielding so if the Wraith do manage to break through the network grid. The people who live here will still have the protection of the city, and each area aside from the one they broke through of course, would still have their initial shield."

"So if the Wraith break through one grid, the rest of the ZPMs should then turn into single shields for their area of acreage that they're protecting." Issa confirmed.

"That's the plan." Arik stated. "Let's see if it works."

"Rodney," Issa said in her earpiece, "We're ready. Go ahead and shut off grid 17."

They had been testing the grid for the past couple of days. While it was technologically sound as a complete grid, they noticed a few problems if one of the ZPMs were to have been knocked out. So they re-wrote some programming and between the three of them figured out a way for the shielding to go into separate quadrants if one of the ZPMs broke the main shield. Each area on the planet had tunnels made underground so that if their quadrant broke down, they would have a place to hide from the Wraith until it was safe to get back into the city.

After testing for a few hours, they proclaimed the shielding a success as a whole, and if one were broken down. Rodney was impressed and decided that they were ready to move entire populations to the planet. Issa and Arik were thrilled. The only downside was that shielding an entire planet and a city, along with making the tunnels had pretty much used their entire supply of extra ZPMs. The planet was a large one and to complete the entire process it had taken 16 ZPMs. Arik and Issa were working on a way to manufacture more, but hadn't mastered it quite yet. They were following some plans that the Ancients had created, but they weren't quite there yet. Arik said it was never his area of expertise. But they had a whole *planet* protected. There was something in that.

However, in the process of trying to create a new power source, they also found ways to make the shield resonate different frequencies, which made it much more difficult for things to get through, and made it stronger. The science behind it was staggering, and most people just watched and smiled and nodded. The only one who could keep up with Issa and Arik was McKay, and he even had some trouble understanding some of it. Everyone knew it made them safer though, and that was all that mattered.

"It seems to be working well." Issa said monitoring things.

"So far, so good." Arik said smiling at her.

"There's a slight power up down here." Rodney said, "It's re-routing, no, we're fine."

"Good. That's what it's supposed to do." Issa said. "As long as it's not…"

"No, it's not building." McKay answered her before she finished her sentence.

"Perfect!" Issa said smiling.

"I believe we've achieved our goals." Arik said.

"I think we just might have!" Issa said hugging Arik, giddy with success. She let go of him quickly, "Umm. Yeah. Rodney, go ahead and plug it back into the grid, just be sure…"

"Yes, Issa. Just because you're smarter than me doesn't mean I don't know what I'm doing." McKay said.

"Yeah yeah. Shep would kill me if I let anything happen to you." Issa said.

"Oh please, he's got women fawning all over him from the Planet of Princess Leia right now. I doubt he's worried about me being vaporized into a million pieces because I was stupid enough to plug in the ZPM connection wrong." McKay ranted.

"Trust me, I'd be dead meat." Issa said smirking. "Colonel Caldwell? Do the scans show any holes?"

"Nothing on scans. It looks complete to our sensors eyes." Caldwell said after checking with the computer technician.

"Great. I guess we're good." Issa said grinning crazily adding a giddy, "We've got planetary shielding."

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"Now *that's* what I call a great Christmas present." Issa said to Dr. Keller. They were eating lunch with Arik in the cafeteria.

"I have to admit, that's a hell of a gift. To know that you're safe from the Wraith no matter where you walk on your planet." Jennifer said.

Issa was still grinning. They had made sure that the shield rotated before they left, so that if the Wraith did come, they wouldn't be able to decipher the shield and break through it at any one point.

"Speaking of Christmas," Issa said, "I hear Dr. Weir is planning on a whole party and everything."

"Every year." Jennifer said. "We do a party in the control room on Christmas Eve…assuming the city isn't under attack."

"Well that's pretty cool." Issa said.

"Because of it being an international expedition, they don't call it Christmas. They call it a Winter Festival. But everyone knows that it's a Christmas party. Since Teyla's input though, there's been a bit more diversity."

"I'd be interested in learning about the differing customs among your people." Arik said.

"You usually are." Issa said.

"I am surprised you do not wish to learn more." Arik said. "Your world is as unfamiliar to you as it is to me."

"In some aspects, yes. But having all the swirly knowledge I do," she said whirling her hand around her head, "and growing up like I did, I gleamed the important stuff. I really have no desire to know the greater meaning of religion and culture. I respect it, but I'm good." Issa said.

"True." Arik said simply.

"So how long do you think until Major Lorne's team populates the second city and we have to do this all over again?" Jennifer asked Arik and Issa.

"Evan said he had already talked with several civilizations and many are eager to populate another city. Teyla said that they found another two civilizations for the first city's populace, and many others are hoping to colonize Athos. Many civilizations only have a few hundred people left after so many generations of culling." Issa said. "He also said that the engineers seem to be coming along with fixing up city #2. We really should name them so we can keep track."

"I think we should put up a suggestion box for the name and then everyone should get to vote on it." Jennifer suggested.

"Run it by Lizbeth." Issa said. "We still need more ZPMs."

"You're quiet today." Jennifer said to Arik.

"I am simply listening and observing. I learn a lot that way." Arik said smiling and stabbing a lima bean. "What are these?"

"Lima Beans." Issa and Jennifer replied at the same time, with the same distain, and then they all laughed.

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They were working in lab 26A when Sheppard came and found McKay working with Issa and Arik.

"Lunch?" He asked tossing a ball in the air.

"Is that a baseball?" Issa asked.

"Sure is. Wanna play later?" Sheppard asked.

"Hell yeah. I love baseball." Issa said.

"Your kid." Rodney said as he was typing. "My brains, your love of sports. Next thing you know she'll be skateboarding through the hallways with you."

"You've got a skateboard?" Issa asked dragging Arik away from his computer as Sheppard did the same with Rodney.

"Three of them _and_ two surfboards." Sheppard said grinning.

"I've always wanted to try surfing." Issa said. "Though I suppose I'll have to wait a while before I can do that. Poor Arik here has suffered enough with me, and we still have to be relatively close."

"It has been amusing." Arik said with a small grin.

"You've been a good sport." Issa said linking her arm into his as they walked the corridors to the mess hall.

"How did you guys manage showers when you had to be that close together?" Rodney blurted out, followed by a "Sorry, sorry. Filter, brain, mouth…nonexistent."

"I stood next to the door on the outside and handed her a towel and she did the same for me." Arik answered while Issa blushed.

"That's good…good." McKay said and rushed forward into the doors to the mess. "Look! Chocolate pudding. I love these replicators."

"I heard we're having an honest to god Christmas dinner too." Sheppard said.

"Really?" McKay asked.

"Mhm…turkey, duck, roast, ham and allll the fixings." John said.

McKay practically moaned in ecstasy and Sheppard looked satisfied.

"We've got to them those two together." Issa whispered to Arik, who just nodded once.

The four of them had lunch together and then they parted ways. Sheppard and McKay were going to the gate with Lorne and his team, as two of his team members were out sick with the flu and Arik still wasn't cleared for gate travel, as he hadn't finished the combat training.

"Should we work on the ZPM machine again?" Issa asked.

They were only allowed to do so much, and wouldn't actually be testing it on their planet once they got it up and running, but they still had a lot that they could do.

"That sounds like a good idea." Arik said. "We have much to do if we are to ready another planet for shielding."

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On Christmas, all of Atlantis (except a skeleton crew that would be rotated out next year) was in the mess hall for a Winter party. They were all drinking punch (spiked likely by Zelenka, sneaky Czech that he was) and they were exchanging presents. They all admitted that even though they had access to Earth, the stuff that was home made was the best.

That being said, they did all enjoy Issa's present of a Wii to Sheppard and it already had a waiting list on who was going to use it. John was being an extortionist and taking things for time on it. Issa just grinned wildly from the sidelines and watched people trade chocolate, coffee and mainland time for Wii time. Looked like he had quite a stash already.

They all enjoyed having three days off and nothing major happened in that time. After Christmas, it was back to business and they started working in earnest on the ZPM machine. Though they were still having issues actually building the container that would hold the energy. Issa had no problem powering them; though she was still unsure as to how that happened; she couldn't seem to contain the energy to repower in one of their new empty models.

"I think we have to go to the next stage, which we can't do here." Arik said frustrated.

"I think we need to talk to Jennifer about being cleared for gate travel. I know Shep seems to think that it's just you needing combat training, but I think she's behind holding us back too." Issa said.

"I agree." Arik said.

"C'mon." Issa said.

They found their way to the infirmary and found Dr. Keller.

"Even if it's just to our site for ZPM work, I'd like us to get cleared for gate travel as soon as possible." Issa said to Jennifer.

"I think I might be able to do that, but only if as soon as you two come back you get in here for a check up. I don't like the potential that your situation has for both of you." Jennifer said, "But that being said, I understand it's important for you two to get back there and start working again."

"Thanks Jen." Issa said smiling.

"I'll go tell Dr. Weir that you're cleared." Keller said sighing as she tapped her ear piece walking into her office.

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Issa and Arik walked through the wormhole.

(I told you our connection would not be affected by gate travel.) Arik said to Issa.

{Smart ass.} Issa replied smirking.

Dr. Weir had cleared them to go offworld with a science team and a small armed military escort. Of course, Sheppard and McKay wanted to come, but Issa insisted on Lorne and another few scientists. If she and Arik blew themselves up, McKay was the only one who could pick up where they left off and figure out what they had done wrong.

"This way." Issa said.

They had found an Ancient science outpost a few years back, but once they cleaned it out, they didn't really think much of it. But it was an idea spot for them to work on the ZPM because it was in an isolated star system with no other life on the planet and the Ancients were pretty universal in their technology, so one research could easily be replaced with another.

{Well, let's get started.} Issa thought to Arik as they unpacked their gear.

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A few weeks later, and they had the basic empty ZPMs manufactured. They were still not powered up. They were attempting to do so, but they were running into the same problems as before on Atlantis. Issa couldn't power these.

"We must be missing something." Issa said.

(But what?) Arik asked.

"I don't know! We've tried everything in the database. They must have left something out on purpose." Issa said.

"That did happen a lot." Arik said. "To prevent the Wraith and other civilizations from gathering the knowledge in case they were able to get a hold of it."

"Well, we have to figure out the connection or we can't make them." Issa said throwing a piece of crystal across the room and watching it make a puff of smoke as it cracked. "Shit, now I'm breaking things."

"It's alright. We know how to remake those." Arik said smirking. Issa just laughed.

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{We should get everyone off world before we test this.} Issa thought to Arik.

(I agree but how? They won't leave us unattended.) Arik thought back.

{We can always tell them we're packing up for back home and be the last two through the gate.}

Arik snorted. (For some reason I don't think the marines will fall for that one.)

Issa shrugged. "We could tell the truth." She said aloud.

Arik simply nodded. They walked back to the Stargate to dial Elizabeth.

"Liz, this is Issa." She said tapping her radio after the wormhole established.

"Go ahead." Elizabeth said.

"Arik and I are ready to test, but we don't want to risk everyone here in case it goes awry." Issa said. "A ZPM gone wrong can explode this entire system."

"I understand." Elizabeth said. "What's the potential risk?"

"About 80/20." Issa said honestly.

"That's a pretty high risk." Elizabeth stated.

"It is, but I think it's the best we are going to get." Issa said.

"It may be all that the makers had as well. And they took the chance. We all know the rewards." Arik said.

Elizabeth was silent for a minute, then stated, "You have a go. Send back everyone but who you need for it."

"Just me and Arik will stay behind." Issa said. "Issa out."

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"You let her do WHAT?" McKay shouted in Elizabeth's office.

"You know how important this is." Elizabeth stated calmly.

"She's my kid. She's a super genius, but she's still mine." Rodney said.

"I understand. But the benefits outweigh the risks McKay. Go tell Sheppard. He'll take it better coming from you." Elizabeth said. The bitch of it was that McKay knew Elizabeth was right…on all accounts.

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{Can you feel that?} Issa asked.

(Slightly.) Arik admitted.

Issa was trying to recharge another ZPM that they reconstructed a bit differently. They had several models now, and they were going to attempt Issa's recharge first before any other more unstable configurations.

{It feels…different, but I feel like I might be able to do it if I just try to pull a little harder.} Issa said.

"STOP!" Arik shouted.

"What?" Issa asked aloud.

"I know what that is." Arik said. "That feeling….it's….you can't recharge them anymore."

"Why the fuck not?" Issa asked standing with her hands on her hips now.

"You're pulling the ascended." Arik stated.

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"Wait wait wait." Sheppard said in the conference room later that evening after Issa and Arik had gated back home. "So you're saying that you're pulling an ascended being down into a ZPM and that's how they get power? Because they're trapped in a ZPM?"

"That's as close as I can explain it." Issa said. "Essentially, we could be taking any ascended being. They could be Ancient, Ori or any other being. They're form of pure energy is what charges the ZPMs."

"Did the Ancients know this when they constructed them?" Dr. Weir asked Arik.

"We're not sure. I don't know. This wasn't my area of expertise. We do know that there are several holes in the notes we have patched together…" Arik said.

"And we know that they had such a great moral reputation." McKay said snorting.

"So can you tell who is who?" Elizabeth asked curious.

"Not yet, but I'm working on it." Issa said.

"Strangely, this does make sense with a report I got from Earth that the Ori have been backing off lately. From what Vala gleamed from Adria at her last capture, they're having a shortage of orders from their fiery gods." Elizabeth said. "Apparently you've been pulling the Ori."

"Well, I can keep it up, but right now it's random. I wouldn't have known had Arik said anything." Issa said.

"And how did you know anyway?" McKay asked.

"I don't know, I just felt it. Maybe one of them gave me the knowledge, I am not sure." Arik said.

"Huh." McKay responded. "So we're going on this as an assumption?"

"Yes." Issa said.

"Scientists don't assume. Do you think you can power it?" McKay asked, turning to Issa. "The one you made?"

"I do. I was almost doing it when Arik stopped me." Issa said.

"So we can make _and_ power ZPMs." McKay asked again for clarification.

"Yeah, but we don't know…" Issa started.

"This could be an ethical issue Rodney." Elizabeth stated.

"Fuck ethics, we have Wraith to contend with! And they're pissed! You saw what happened to the home planets of the Trimarians and Degans. Flattened. One of them Isn't. There. Anymore." Rodney said. "They destroyed a planet because they couldn't feed. They're hungry and pissed. How long before they start culling everyone and everything in this galaxy?"

"He has a point." Arik said. Issa and Sheppard nodded slightly.

"I do?" Rodney said.

"You do." Elizabeth said. "I'll debate it."

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In the end, Arik found a program written into the databanks. No one asked where he found it at or if he wrote it or not. It showed Issa how to pull the ascended from subspace and how to differentiate the beings that were in subspace.

Elizabeth approved it.

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"So this essentially says that when you ascend, you get placed in subspace?" Issa asked.

"Yes. It's pure energy there. It's easier for them to transcend to other places, dimensions, existences from there. When we charge a ZPM, we harness that energy. An ascended being comes with it."

"And this will help me figure out which feels like which?" Issa asked.

"Yes." Arik said.

Issa took a deep breath. "Okay then. Here goes." She stepped into the machine.'I can do this.' She thought to herself. 'This is to save billions of people in several galaxies.' Issa stepped up to the ZPM and put her hand on it, feeling for the rush of brilliant energy course through her. She felt through it, sifted and pulled it through her body and into the empty ZPM that she was touching. If jerked her slightly at the base of her spine but she pushed it into the ZPM, locking it there.

"Gotcha." Issa said holding up the now glowing ZPM. It darkened and she handed it to McKay. "One Ori."

"You know, I never thought we'd end the Ori war by killing their ascended." McKay said taking the ZPM and putting it into a foam lined box.

"Me either, but I'll take it. Give me another one." Issa said holding out her hands.

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The process of building the empty ZPM shell was easy enough. For Issa, being the sole person able to fill them, was exhausting. Elizabeth told her to take a break from it somewhere around the 20th. She saw how tired Issa was and how draining mentally the ordeal was on her.

"You ok kiddo?" Sheppard asked her as he pushed a bowl of chocolate pudding towards her.

"I will be." Issa said taking a spoonful into her mouth. She talked around it, reminding Sheppard of Rodney. "You know, this whole thing…" She waved the spoon around as though it encompassed the universe. "It's like, we're killing the Ori. Slowly. Maybe even painfully."

"I'm really OK with that." Sheppard said.

"So is mom." Issa said. She looked over at Arik, who had fallen asleep on the table behind her. "I think he's ok with it too."

"I think we all should be." Sheppard stated as he stood up, leaving her alone in her thoughts.

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"We have another planet ready for habitation." Lorne said as he stepped through the gate a few days later.

"Excellent." Dr. Weir said.

Issa looked at Arik and they went to get geared up to set up the next planetary shield.

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"That makes twenty-one worlds relocated onto three planets." Sheppard said.

"That's extroadinary." Teyla said. "These people are safe from the Wraith and can feel at peace for the first time in over ten thousand years."

Ronon grunted his agreement.

"The SGC said that we have their full approval, even though they know this is going to eventually lead to a confrontation with the Wraith." Dr. Weir said.

"Is it." Teyla said. Issa nodded her agreement. "We're taking away their food. The food that's been unprotected for many, many generations."

"Well, it's not anymore." Issa said. "What worlds are next on the list?"

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End Chapter 7

++TBC++

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	8. Chapter 8

Title: Isobel  
Author: bluedrgn52

Disclaimer and stuff in part 1. Go read it (and parts 1-7) before you read this. :P

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Chapter 8

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She stood on Tiamat, hands on her hips, going over the sensory data. They had been exploring the galaxy a bit more, stretching the Tiamat to her limits, opening her up and seeing what she could do. If they planned to use her, they needed to know what she was capable of. Sheppard had brought it up at the last staff meeting. It was all well and good to protect the people of the galaxy behind planetary shielding, but who knew how long it would be until there was a confrontation from the Wraith when they would need to fight back?

They decided to explore a bit from the device that had been scanning planets since the Ancients left Atlantis. They had opened up an accelerated hyperspace window and flew Tiamat through it. Normal hyperspace was blue. Accelerated hyperspace was a purplish pink. Everyone thought it was bizarre, but they got used to it pretty quickly. Especially since they were on the other side of the galaxy in under three days, instead of three weeks.

They traveled it to the Milky Way first, just on the outskirts, sent a teasing message to the SGC that they were there and jetted out of the way again before they could be recalled. They didn't want to give the Tiamat to Earth for them to fight the Ori. They wanted to explore with her. And they had their own battle with the Wraith to contend with. At some point.

They had left setting up planetary grid number four to the secondary set of scientists. This one didn't have an ancestors city, but they did have many other cities and was workable. But McKay said that they needed to let the other scientists learn how to set it up and maintain it, so here they were, aboard Tiamat and exploring.

Issa was standing there looking out the window with a cup of coffee when she realized that they were slowing down. She walked over to the bridge.

"What's up Shep?" She asked John when she walked in. The main bridge had the control chair in it. Of course, her dad was flying. Between him, herself and Arik, the ship responded to him the best. Issa still thought it had an AI, but she wasn't certain, and hadn't asked Arik yet.

"Random stop. The planet looked interesting on the files. Figured we have some time, seeing as how we're exploring anyway." Sheppard said. Issa shrugged and pulled up the viewfinder.

"Cool." Issa said. The planet below her was mainly water, very much like Lantea, but it also had a major continent that looked a lot like Earth might have before the continents split.

"Mmm." Sheppard said, reading the file in his brain.

"Think there's dinosaurs?" Issa asked. "It looks a little Jurassic Park with all that jungle. Why'd we stop again?"

Just as she asked, a light blinked on the screen. Issa recognized it as a Wraith locator, but it wasn't a strong signal. Nor was it a newer version.

"Ahhhh, always gotta find the adventure, don't you dad?" Issa asked. She wasn't really all that concerned. "Blow it up or check it out?"

"What do you think?" Sheppard asked.

"Well, the world is otherwise uninhabited. I say we blow it." Issa said.

"Shiny. Let's be bad guys." Sheppard said quoting the show Firefly.

Issa chuckled and sipped her coffee. It was turning out to be a pretty good morning. Blowing shit up always put her in a better mood.

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"We received a distress call about ten minutes ago." John said a few hours later as Issa, Teyla, Ronon and Arik walked into the bridge.

"I'm on it already." McKay said as Issa walked over to the other computer terminal.

There was some static, which they cleared up promptly and they heard a female voice coming in through the ships communications system. "We're requesting assistance. Wraith attack. They're taking everyone they see. This isn't normal, even for the Wraith. There are few of us left. Please, if anyone can hear this, please assist us. They're coming!"

"They're pissed." Issa said. "The Wraith." She clarified.

"I scanned the planet. There's no life signs." Rodney stated dully.

"We should start taking some of the outskirt planets populations next. Looks like the Wraith have been hitting them pretty hard." Sheppard said.

"We can always find them first." Ronon suggested.

"We don't want to give Tiamat away unless we have to. We should probably head back anyway." John said, giving little warning before putting the ship into accelerated hyperspace on a course back to Atlantis.

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"While you were gone, we got a call from Todd." Elizabeth said. "He wants to meet us. To negotiate."

"I told you they were pissed." Issa said, walking away and leaving the details to Shep and Liz.

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"No Arik, you can't come with me. I don't want them to know about you just yet." Issa stated.

Sheppard and Weir had negotiated for Todd and a few of his other unmasked buddies to come to Atlantis to meet. When Issa asked them why Atlantis, Dr. Weir said something about friends close and enemies closer. But still, she didn't want them to know that they had an Ancient on their side.

(Do you think they spotted Tiamat?) Arik asked. The Wraith were coming via Todd's ship to Atlantis.

[I doubt it.] Issa thought.

(I hope not.) Arik thought back, (Though it is in orbit outside our star system.)

Arik walked away into one of the back rooms off the control room, still listening to everything that was happening through Issa.

Issa took her place between Sheppard and McKay, Ronon to McKay's left, Teyla next to Sheppard and beside Dr. Weir. The wormhole flashed to life.

The Wraith stepped through the gate. Todd led them, along with a few of the others who were obviously leaders, though no Queens were present. Apparently they felt that their henchmen could fulfill this purpose. The marines were poised to fire, but relaxed slightly when they proved that the Wraith held no obvious weapons. Though no one had forgotten what Todd did with his magic glow sticks before, and they were still wary of patting down a Wraith.

"We wish to negotiate." Todd said.

"Come to my office." Elizabeth said, leading the way to the conference room.

Once they were all seated, with military guards in and out of the room, Todd started talking.

"We noticed that the Atlantians have broadened their influence recently. Our feeding grounds are now protected behind Ancient technology. It has made culling…difficult." Todd started. "We wish to negotiate, and as I've had the most experience with the people of Atlantis I was elected to come here and speak for our people."

"We're protecting the human population of this galaxy for the first time in 10,000 years." Dr. Weir restated.

"Yes." Todd said. "First we had the incident with the drug that makes it impossible for us to know which of what we are feeding upon is poison. Now you hide people within shields that we cannot cross."

"Damn shame." Sheppard said. "What do you want us to do about it?"

"Normally we would simply eradicate the threat from the drug, but your particular contingent of your species has proven…resilient." Todd continued ignoring Sheppard's comment.

"Bet that burns your ass." Issa said for the first time.

"Isobel." Sheppard hissed.

"She is right." Todd cocked his head to the left and stated, "She is not one of you." Todd said it so simply that he left the people in the room slightly shaken. How did he know? "But even you are young yet to know the effect of this."

"You have no idea." Issa snorted. "You have Dr. Keller's therapy. Why not use it?"

"We have lived in our ways for so long that many of us are resistant to the idea of such a drastic change." Todd stated.

"Survival is survival." Sheppard put in.

Todd nodded at him. "There are several Hives that would like to give the therapy a chance. Many are not too fond of the idea."

"You might not have a choice." Issa said. "Your way of life has changed. The entire galaxy is changing. If you don't want to be wiped out, you will have to adapt."

"The young one is right." Another Wraith chipped in.

"She may be, she may not." Yet another Wraith said.

"We have held many conferences together. Those of us who are willing to partake in the drug Atlantis offers want to know if the offer still stands." Todd said.

"It does." Elizabeth stated.

"The rest of us want to know if you will let us continue to cull certain worlds. Leave them from your technology." Todd finished.

"No." McKay said, speaking for the first time. "We can't do that in good conscience."

"That is a problem." Todd said. "There are many Wraith who wish to destroy this city and all of the ones like it. We have had 10,000 years to work on the weaknesses in Atlantian technology."

"Good luck. I've been upgrading." Issa all but hissed out.

"You are not like them. Yet you are familiar. What are you?" Todd asked her.

Sheppard noted the way that Todd asked 'What' and not 'Who'.

"I'm like them but not. I won't be giving away any trade secrets." Issa said smiling at him. She held his gaze until he dropped it.

He was chuckling as he spoke his next sentence, "Those of us who wish to partake in the therapy would like to start immediately. Perhaps we can find a common ground for us to establish this." Todd continued.

The negotiations continued for another two hours, but they agreed upon a mutual planet that would offer the services that Dr. Keller needed and that the Wraith could get to. Though the planet was more suited for the Atlantians than the Wraith, and they all agreed that they were fine with that.

"I will let the rest know of our meeting." Todd said and all of the Wraith rose and left for the gateroom with their military escort.

"That was interesting." Issa said.

"They're afraid of you." McKay stated. "You could tell. We've known Todd long enough to know what he fears; and he fears you."

"He damn well should." Issa said and stomped out of the control room, leaving tablets floating in mid air and spinning out of control behind her. Arik caught up to her after a few steps, and grabbed her wrist to stop her from running away.

"Out of the two of us, I should have more hatred towards the Wraith. Why do you have so much?" Arik asked. "Ten thousand years ago, that meeting wouldn't have taken place. Don't you see how much of a difference your people have made in this galaxy? And in such a short period of time?"

"Does it matter? They freak me out is all." Issa said.

"You're not telling me something, but it's ok." Arik said, and wrapped Issa in a hug. She choked back a sob and relaxed a little in his arms. "I just….I feel them. I feel what they are. I don't know how to explain it, but I know their hunger, their pain, their anguish that they've been waiting ten thousand years. I know why they're so pissed off. I get it. I understand it. It bugs me. Do you know how long of a time period ten thousand years is? Of course you do." Issa said laughing and feeling stupid. "I just feel it. I don't know how. Probably some fucked up ISP."

Arik stayed silent and just held her while she talked. After a while, she let go and they walked to their quarters. Even though they had been able to separate for a while now, they still shared quarters in case that changed. It was just easier after their stuff had all been moved.

(Get some rest.) Arik said to Issa.

{Thank Arik.} Issa said.

(No problem.) Arik said shutting off the lights and letting Issa sleep.

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Chapter 8 End

++TBC++

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	9. Chapter 9

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Chapter 9

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Author's Notes:

OMG! TWO CHAPTERS IN ONE DAY!

Thank you for everyone who has stuck by my side while I've been writing this story. I know it's been long and drawn out since I last updated. I know some of you might have to re-read the whole thing to remember what's going on. I apologize for the gap between postings and I sincerely hope that I can get a few more chapters out today and published here. Again, not beta'd. All mistakes are mine. If you want the job, just email me and you've got it!

Now, notes about the story:

So you might be asking yourself, "How many populations can one planet possibly sustain?" We're talking a planet here. Hell, our planet holds 6, almost _7_ _billion_ people. The people of Pegasus are living comfortably with room to spare, unlike us here on Earth. Take into account in the very first episode, the Wraith (when they found out about Earth) said "our feeding grounds have not been so rich in ten thousand years!" Which means that the relative populations of the Pegasus galaxy natives are pretty tiny. Which also means, like, 20 worlds could likely live on one or two planets.

/end rant.

On to Chapter 9!

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Issa awoke to the sound of something scratching at her door. She groaned as she realized that she was still wearing the clothes she had on earlier in the day. Running her hand over her eyes, she willed the door open.

"Whaddaya want?" she mumbled.

"Thought you might be hungry." Rodney said coming into the room with two trays. "Brought you some breakfast."

"Breakfast?" Issa asked. Had she really slept through the night? "Shit."

"We let you sleep. Thought you could use the rest." Rodney said handing her a tray.

"Yeah. I guess I needed it. What's everyone up to today?" Issa asked inhaling a cup of coffee and pouring more from the carafe Rodney had brought with him.

"Well, Sheppard and Lorne are going to go through the gate with Teyla and Ronon and talk to the planets we have already established contact with about relocating. They're trying to push them to get where they need to be before the Wraith come to cull their worlds into extinction. Dr's Weir, Keller and Beckett are on Wraith duty with Arik working on gene therapy to get rid of the Wraith threat with those that are willing. They're going to the site to work on it. It's a good thing you and Arik can be separated a little bit now." Rodney said. "Though I'm pretty sure he's staying on planet…you'll have to talk to him about that."

Which, of course, Issa already was.

{You headed off world today?} Issa asked via mental link.

[No. I was wondering when you'd awaken.] Arik replied.

{I was tired. Here with Rodney-Dad now.} Issa chuckled.

[Ahh. I'm helping Jennifer and Carson with some last minute details of the gene therapy. It's regrettable. I would like to participate.] Arik replied.

{Okay. We'll figure it out.} Issa said, yawning and pulling herself back to the conversation with Rodney.

"I'm thinking about working on Tiamat. I noticed some energy signatures when we were up there and I want to check them out. Want to come with me?" Rodney asked.

"Wait a minute. Tia has a cloak-shield, we're using it now so that our guests can't see her, yes?" Issa asked.

"Of course." Rodney said nodding at her like she was stupid.

"I have an idea." Issa said. "The site we have picked out has some tactical advantage but if the Wraith get any ideas, they can really take over there."

"Well, the point is that there's a shield set up in place…" Rodney started.

"Yeah, but it's not yet. We have to go and do it and the Wraith already don't like the idea because they can't get their people out. So to make negotiations happier, why don't we pilot Tia over there with her cloak-shield up and we can do our research and they can do theirs on the planet and we'll know their safe, but we let the Wraith think they have the tactical edge." Issa said.

"Not a bad idea." Rodney said, then tapped his radio. "Rodney to Elizabeth…we have an idea…."

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"Do you think your connection will allow this?" Dr. Keller asked.

"Only one way to find out. We've been able to get further and further from each other in the past couple of weeks."

"I don't remember how long it takes for the connection to solidify, but she is right, I feel it when she's not nearby and we have been able to go further out." Arik agreed.

"If something goes wrong and I pass out or start to turn glowy, then beam him back here." Issa said.

They were standing aboard Tiamat and debating Arik going planet side to help Dr. Beckett and Keller with the gene treatments on the Wraith. They had installed the Asgard beaming tech into the Tiamat earlier and even though the Ancients had their own beaming on board, they knew the Asgard systems better and were more familiar with them. They were orbiting a small moon outside the edge of the planetary system, of which they were meeting the Wraith on. They decided to take the Tiamat there, then beam them down to the gate where they'd walk through to the planet. The Tiamat would then go from the moon to the planet, and be cloaked and shielded and orbit the planet, looking for any signs of trouble. This was a test beam for Arik and Issa to see how far they'd be able to separate. If there were no issues, they'd beam Arik back aboard and then beam him down later on, on the planet with the Wraith where he could say he came through the gate at a later time. Dr's Beckett and Keller and the science team would remain on the moon and gate through to the planet.

"Only one way to find out." Issa said.

"Okay. But I'm going to stay here and monitor you for a while before I join them on the planet." Jennifer said.

A flash of light later and Issa was still standing, feeling just fine on the deck of the Tiamat. "I feel ok." Issa said. "Nothing adverse yet. You?" Issa asked into her radio.

"I am feeling well." Arik stated. "Though we know that this will not last indefinitely."

They beamed him back aboard as Jennifer beamed down and the rest of the team gated through the wormhole to meet the Wraith. Once they were all through, the Tiamat plotted a quick hyperspace jump to the other edge of the planetary system where they landed in orbit around a large gas giant and then cloaked and shielded as they headed out to the planet next to it where they were meeting the Wraith. A Wraith cruiser hung out in orbit of the planet.

"Well, we found the right place." Issa joked.

"Surely." Arik agreed.

"I'm not Shirley!" Issa said laughing.

Arik smiled at her, getting used to Earth humor that they were both picking up on. They still had an hour or so before Arik could beam down. They went over a few of the ships readouts. Issa walked over to McKay and saw what he was working on.

"The ship seems to have an integral parts of the AI system like Atlantis does." Rodney said.

"I was wondering about that." Issa said turning to Arik and asking, "Is she alive too?"

"She was set up to hold an AI, but she never received one." Arik stated.

"Hmm." McKay pondered.

They fiddled with the ship for a while, tweaking things that the Wraith couldn't detect and killing time until they beamed Arik down. Jennifer made one of the lesser doctors come with them and monitor Issa from the ship. She was on the bridge, just watching and observing. The mental connection between Issa and Arik was ever present though, regardless of the fact that he was on planet and she in orbit.

[How are you feeling?] Arik asked.

{I'm fine.} Issa said. {No real change to note of.}

[No tingling sensations?] Arik teased.

{Not a single tingle.} Issa said, sighing.

[Good. I'll meet up with Jennifer and report back to you later.]

{Okay.} Issa thought.

Issa turned to McKay. "So whatcha wanna work on now?" She asked.

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"Something's wrong." Issa said, her hand going to her head in pain.

"What's happening?" McKay broke radio silence in favor of finding out what was going on.

"Beam us back aboard!" Dr. Keller's voice broke through the system.

McKay beamed everyone on the planet back to the ship.

"What happened?" He asked. "Where's the rest of the team?"

"The treatments were going according to plan when some of the Wraith got the idea that they didn't want to go through with it and instead of going against his hive, he decided to start throwing weapons around. He injured several of my men." Dr. Keller said looking royally pissed off.

"Where's Arik?" Issa asked. She had fallen to the floor at this point and was in obvious pain.

"They took him through the gate. I'm not sure where." Dr. Keller said.

"We have to follow him." Issa said. "Now."

She stood up and walked over to the control panel. "Everyone is aboard. We're going on a rescue mission. McKay, open up out long range communications and tell Elizabeth what's going on. We have to find him as soon as possible." Issa said, grasping the panel for dear life.

"What can I do Issa?" Dr. Keller asked her.

"Nothing but find him, and I'm the only one who can do that." Issa said plotting their course and launching them into accelerated hyperspace as soon as Rodney got the message off. Issa adjusted their course as they went. She was following some invisible thread in her mind that linked her to Arik. She was also getting really pissed off that someone stole her Arik. What were they thinking?

Everyone was pretty much leaving her alone at this point, even the military commander noted that she seemed to know where they were going and no one was really worried about the Tiamat not meeting standards if they came out in a fire fight. Though, everyone hoped it wasn't going to come to that. Issa stood up a little straighter as they got closer to their destination.

"We're almost here." Issa said. She had a single focus to her eyes, a single task to perform. Nothing else mattered at this point. She set the ships version of cruise control and ran to the armory.

"What are you doing?" McKay asked as he ran behind her.

"Modifying a nuke." Issa stated flatly.

"How can I help?" He asked calmly.

"Mod and arm another three." Issa said.

They set to work. As soon as the ship pulled out of hyperspace, Issa detected Arik's sensor. He was the only one that the Wraith had taken. She wasn't sure why that was either, but she hoped that they had taken good care of him. She beamed him aboard and at the same time, beamed down six nukes. The Tiamat was opening a hyperspace window as they watched the beginning of the destruction of that world.

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"Elizabeth isn't going to be very happy with me." Issa said as she pulled Arik closer and took in his scent.

"I know." Arik said clinging back to Issa.

"She's just going to have to understand that you don't fuck with my people." Issa said.

"You both seem to be ok. Obviously the connection is still present and even though it may have been damaged by such a distance, I'm not sure what to do. I'm going to tell you not to leave each others side again for the next couple of days." Dr. Keller said. "I'm kinda going at this blind, but I guess just go with you instincts."

"Thanks Jennifer." Issa said not looking away from Arik.

"No problem. I'm just gonna go." She said showing herself out.

Several hours later...

"I apologize for my emotions getting the best of me." Issa said to Dr. Weir in her conference room.

"I understand that you weren't yourself at the time, due to the bond." Elizabeth said.

"I really wasn't, but I still knew what I was doing. I deliberately destroyed that world." Issa stated. "I'll accept punishment for it."

"No need." Elizabeth said. "We sent the Tiamat back there to check out the damage. From what we can tell, it was a Wraith hub. You did us all a favor."

"Really?" Issa asked.

"Really." Elizabeth said. "From the scans that we got right before you blew up the ship, we assessed that there were at least fifteen hives on that planet, along with probably half of the Wraith in this galaxy. From what we can tell, they were massing. Probably against us, or one of the planets we're protecting. I can't be upset at you for destroying that."

"Well huh." Issa said. She quickly filled Arik in on this information through their mind connection.

"It doesn't explain why they took Arik in the first place." Elizabeth said.

"He has some ideas about that. Mainly that they were trying to integrate some Ancient tech into their systems so they could get through our shielding easier. It's why he thinks they stole him in the first place." Issa said.

"Still, we should be careful." Elizabeth said.

"I agree. I think we really need to get people under protection though. The Wraith that are left are going to be quite angry." Issa said. "I wonder how many ships are left."

"When we first arrived in this galaxy, there were around sixty. We've taken out about ten over the years. You just destroyed at least another ten to fifteen. So maybe forty, being generous, left?" Elizabeth stated.

"Well, maybe they'll come to us." Issa said. "I mean, if we end up protecting just about every population in this galaxy, we might be able to lure them to us."

"I've been thinking about that myself." Elizabeth said. "Sheppard and I were talking about getting them to come here. With the modifications you've made to the shielding and weapons we'd likely be able to take them out if we can get the to come to us."

"I don't want to get too overconfident." Issa said. "The weapons we've been working on...they're good, but I'm not comfortable releasing them into the hands of the trigger happy marines just yet."

"I understand. How about this. We'll have a meeting tomorrow to discuss strategy and tactics and see how ready we actually are to receive the Wraith when they come." Elizabeth said.

"Sounds good to me." Issa replied. "I'll be in the weapons lab if anyone needs me."

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"We have the ancient version of the rail gun up and running." Issa said in the meeting the next day.

"Really?" Sheppard asked his eyes wide.

"I think so. We haven't really tested it out, but we're going to release some mock targets and try it out." Issa said. "Clay pigeons if you will."

"We also found a system that lets us put a returning beacon on the drones, if they miss their targets. So instead of losing them, we can bring them back." Arik said.

"We have sufficient shielding to last centuries, thanks to Issa," McKay said, "And it's functional and on a rotating schedule. I doubt anyone will be cracking that code for generations."

"All good news." Dr. Weir said.

"My marines have been in training all morning with the scientists learning how to use the rail guns." Sheppard said. "I also have twelve trained jumper pilots that have been combat ready for about a week now. We're ready."

"So now we have to wait and see when they will come to us." Elizabeth said.

"In the meantime, while we're all waiting..." Issa said. "Arik and I were talking about the Ancient Weapons platform that exploded a few years back."

"And?" McKay said, waving his hand, eager for her to continue.

"We think there might be a few more floating around out there. In this star system."

"Really?"

"I believe that there is one on the outskirts of planet six. It seems to be completely shut down though." Arik said.

"We scanned that area before. I wonder why we didn't see it?" Rodney questioned.

"It may be that it's been in such a low orbit to the planet that it read as part of the atmosphere. That was part of the trick so that the Wraith didn't see the platforms when we first put them out there. We'd need to get it up and running, but it also has a star drive. From what I've read in your reports, you didn't have much time to get the first one up and running before it exploded." Arik said.

"We did what we could with what we had." McKay said, remembering losing Peter that day.

"I understand." Arik said. "If we can, I'd like to take a jumper out there, to see if we can get this one up and running. It might help to be able to move it to orbit around Lantea."

"Sounds good to me." Elizabeth said, looking to Sheppard for confirmation.

"Works for me. I can pilot the mission if you don't have a problem with that?" Sheppard said, asking Elizabeth.

"None from my end. You have a green light people. The sooner we can get ourselves prepared, the better I'll feel." Elizabeth stated.

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End Chapter 9

++TBC++

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	10. Chapter 10

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Chapter 10

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Issa sat in the back of puddle jumper 3, waiting for Sheppard to find the weapons platform.

"I'm not seeing it on the scans." He said.

She put her head back against the wall, and watched as Arik took care of tweaking the sensors. She was exceptionally tired and realized that she hadn't really eaten in a day or so. Mostly she had been running on coffee. She'd feel a lot better when they had rid this galaxy of the Wraith once and for all.

"Tired?" McKay asked from the seat across from her.

"Yeah." She said opening one eye to look out at him. "You?"

"Not nearly as much as I have been in the past when we were facing imminent doom." Rodney said. "I'm used to being the only one who is able to do things. Usually the fate of everyone ends up in my hands. It's nice to have people to share the responsibility with."

"I know that feeling." Issa said.

"You shouldn't." Rodney said. "You're too young...well, you are!" He said at her scathing look.

"I suppose. It's weird. I know so much, but sometimes when there's a reference to something, I just don't understand it because I didn't have a real childhood." Issa said. "It's alright though. I love being in the city and with all of you."

"I was wondering...if you'd like, after we all almost die from this, if we all make it out alive that is..." Rodney sputtered.

"Just spit it out dad." Issa said.

"Would you like to go back to Earth with me and see my family?" Rodney said. "I have a bunch of leave coming up and I was thinking about stopping in to see my sister and her kid. She's going to freak out when I tell her I have a kid."

"I'd like that." Issa said, sitting upright. "Does my other dad have family?"

"He doesn't talk about them much." Rodney said. "He's got a brother that we know of and his dad died last year, but I don't know if he has anyone else."

"I'd like to meet my uncle too." Issa said. "What's your sister like?"

"She's a know it all." Rodney said, "She's about your height, but she's got more of my build. You inherited that from Sheppard. You're slim just like he is." He said handing her a power bar. "Eat something."

"What else?" Issa asked as she ripped into the wrapper on the bar.

"Physically, she's got blond hair and blue green eyes. She took time off of her scientific career to have a kid. Madison. She's about seven now. She's smart as a whip. Looks just like her mom too. None of Kaleb in that kid. She's great."

"That's good. I think I'd like to meet her." Issa said.

"She'll like you." Rodney said.

"We found it!" Sheppard cried out. McKay and Issa stood up and looked out the front windows.

"Perfect!" Issa said. "Let's suit up and get down there."

"I'd like to be the first one in." Arik said. "I know where all the crystals are for atmospheric control.

"Let's check the outside first before we go in. I don't want that to happen again." Rodney said.

"Good idea buddy." Sheppard said, and scanned the structure of the building as Arik and Rodney suited up.

"I want to go too." Issa said.

"You can come on board once we've determined that it's stable and we get life support up and running." Rodney said.

"C'mon..." Issa pleaded.

"You're staying with me kid." Sheppard said. "Come up here, I'll walk you through the scanning controls on the jumper. I don't think you've really had the time to get acquainted with her yet."

"Fine." Issa said, but she was sulking.

"It won't take long." Arik said with a smile as he clicked his helmet in to place and checked Rodney's suit over. "We're ready." He said.

"See you in a bit." Issa said, sealing the front of the jumper to the back.

"You can make hard dock." Sheppard said. "I'll give you controls. Here. Just push this one gently. Gently!"

"Teaching your kids to drive is stressful, isn't it?" Issa said chuckling.

"Shut it kid. This isn't a car. She's more sensitive." John said.

"But you like cars." Issa said gently making soft seal with the jumper and the platform. She looked at Sheppard and saw his smile of approval.

"Sure I do." He said. "But this baby takes them all. She's faster, and even though she's a box, she's pretty darn streamlined. She goes fast, she cloaks, she shields, she's born to go through the gate and she holds just about anything. She's the perfect machine."

"Uh huh. She got a name?" Issa said, then radio'ed to Rodney and Arik, "She's sealed up. You have a go. Let me know when it's safe for us to open the back doors."

"Will do. Keep in radio contact." Rodney said.

"We will." Issa said, pulling up a display that monitored the two men as they went into the platform.

"She has a name." Sheppard said resuming their conversation. "I named each of my girls when I got put in charge of the jumper bay."  
"And this one is?" Issa asked.

"Leeloo." Sheppard said grinning.

"Go figure." Issa said.

"I let Rodney name one of them." Sheppard said grinning.

"What did he pick?" Issa asked.

"He named it after his niece, Madison." John said smiling.

"That's sweet." Issa said.

"It was either that, or gateship one." John said smirking. "I picked Madison."

Issa laughed. "Yeah, he's so not allowed to name anything ever again."

They were both laughing over that when Arik radioed in that it was ok for them to open the seal. The jumpers system flashed up shortly thereafter and showed them that the O2 levels averaged out. Sheppard pushed the button to open the doors and they met Arik and Rodney on the other side of them, stepping out of their EVA suits.

"She looks still intact." Arik said grinning. "If we can get her powered up, she should be able to get back to Atlantis fairly easily."

"Weapons systems?" Sheppard asked.

"They seem to just be shut down. I think we just have to reboot her with a ZPM." Rodney said.

"Can we go take a look?" Issa asked.

"Sure. We put the gravity and life support on." Arik said.

"I'll get the ZPM." Issa said. They had taken one along with them for the ride just in case the platform's had been removed.

"There's one drained here. We can have you re-power it later." Rodney said.

"Ok." Issa said pulling the black case out from the back storage space in the jumper. "We'll take this one down."

"Go ahead and go down." Arik said. "I'm going to attach the jumper's navigation systems into the navigation systems of the platform."

"Sounds good." Sheppard said. "Do I really need to do anything aside from fly the ship?"

"You'll want to come down here." Issa said.

"How come?" Sheppard asked as she climbed down the ladder inside.

"Hello? Weapons platform." Issa said, her head disappearing.

"True." Sheppard said.

"We could possibly use an extra hand." Arik said.

"One light switch coming up." Sheppard said as he climbed down after her.

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"She's structurally sound, weapons active thanks to the ZPM and has a complete stardrive. She also has a full shield that Isobel is tweaking right now. We're orbiting Lantea as we speak." Sheppard said, radioing into Atlantis from the platform.

"Wonderful." Elizabeth said.

"Arik said that it can be completely self sufficient too. No one has to be inside of it once we get everything up and running. It can be completely controlled from Atlantis." Issa said.

"What did you name her?" Elizabeth's voiced over the radio.

"Arik named her." Sheppard said and he could hear groans in the background. "I bet a lot of people lost the bet on that one, didn't they?" He grinned ear to ear.

"Sure did." Elizabeth said. "Myself included."

"He named her Shemeya, after his assistant on Tiamat." Sheppard said.

"I think we all lost the bet on that one." Elizabeth said. "When you get her up and running, feel free to come back down to the city. We've been scanning once an hour on the long range sensors, but we haven't picked up anything so far. We also have several patrol jumpers on the outer planets, to visually report, just in case the Wraith have somehow managed to hide their hyperdrive signals." Elizabeth said.

"Good idea." Sheppard said.

"It was Major Lorne's idea." Elizabeth said.

"Remind me not to make him do my paperwork this week." Sheppard said. "We should be planetside in a few hours. They're just tweaking things now that we're in range of the city."

"Sounds good. I'll call you if we get anything on sensors. Atlantis out." Elizabeth stated.

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After three days of intense waiting, one of the jumper teams reported back seeing a hive ship jump in and then back out of the area almost immediately. They weren't sure what was going on, but they wanted to gate back to the city to let them know.

Elizabeth had everyone in the city prepare themselves for an attack, but after another two days, nothing happened. They put teams out on missions through the gate only out of necessity. They were gathering all of the civilizations that they could and had successfully shielded a total of four planets, including Lantea. Most planets accepted the invitation to be shielded and had moved their entire worlds to the shielded planets. They brought everything with them to make themselves successful on their new worlds. Livestock, seedlings, even building materials. Everything that could be shipped through a gate was. Relatively quickly, these societies, that now felt safe and protected, started to flourish. They even had set up a settlement on the mainland on Lantea, with some of the Athosians teaching and showing other societies the best places for crops and game, as they had lived there before.

Strangely enough, the Wraith seemed to be no where in sight. None of the planets had seen them, and none of the teams had come across them through the gate. There was rumor flying around that they had left this galaxy and moved on to another one. John and Rodney were discussing that when Issa and Arik walked up on them in the mess hall.

"I really don't think that they've left. I think they're waiting. Remember, they can go for a very long time without eating anyone." Rodney said.

"I'm inclined to agree with you, but I'm worried. We haven't heard anything from Todd since they tried to abduct Arik." Sheppard said.

"Do you think that Todd was part of that?" Rodney asked.

"I really don't know." Sheppard said. "Todd's so unpredictable."

Rodney just nodded in agreement.

"Think they're still around?" Sheppard asked Issa as he noticed her.

"I know they are." Issa said. "Between my gut feeling and Teyla's, I don't think they're gone. I think they're lying in wait for the opportune moment."

"I'm inclined to agree." Arik said.

"I think it's just a matter of time. We know they've been upgrading their tech to try to match ours since we had that last meeting. And how many Wraith had accepted the treatments? Not many before they went all primal and stole Arik." Issa said.

"All very true. I really don't think that they're going to just let this go. They're waiting until they're sure they can annihilate us." Issa said.

"That's never a good thing." McKay said.

"All we can do is not let our guard down." Issa said.

"Agreed."

88888888

"I really think we should organize a patrol that can scan what they're doing." Issa said.

"I'm inclined to agree." Elizabeth said.  
"Me too." Sheppard agreed.

They had been scanning a few areas outside of their long range sensors with the puddle jumpers and had found that the Wraith ships had been jumping in and out, briefly scanning the area. The jumpers had been cloaked with Issa's new specs, so they doubted that they were scanned, especially after the cruisers had left them alone. They still didn't know why the Wraith were making these jumps or scans though.

"Maybe they're trying to update their hyperdrive, or their long range sensors?" Rodney suggested one night.

"I don't know." Issa said, and it irritated her that she didn't.

She had suggested modifying their sensors a bit more and trying to scan their ships without being detected. Between her, Arik, McKay and Zelenka, they had thought they had figured out a way to do so. The only way to test it out was to do it and for that they needed Elizabeth's permission.

"I don't think that all of you should go though." Elizabeth said.

"I will go with Zelenka. Issa and Arik already modified everything, so there shouldn't be a problem there." McKay said.

"Alright then. Go test it out. At the first sign of trouble, get back here as quickly as possible." Elizabeth said.

"Right." Rodney said, and headed off to the jumper bay.

"I don't like this." Sheppard said.

"It's hard to leave behind the people you try to protect." Issa said.

"That too. But I was thinking about the Wraith. What are they up to?" John said.

"I only wish I knew." Issa said.

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"We didn't find anything. Everything came back as inconclusive." McKay said.

"Damn." Issa said. "I wish we know what they were up to! I don't like this waiting."

"We could always go after them." John said. "We have the Tiamat."

"There's only one problem with that." Elizabeth said breaking the silence that had followed John's statement.

"What's that?" John asked.

"We have everything set up here for them to attack us. If we go after them, then we aren't as prepared." Elizabeth said.

"But as far as we know, they don't know we have her." John said.

"That's very true." Elizabeth said, debating the points in her head.

"We could always take Tia out and try to lure the Wraith here." Issa said.

Elizabeth raised her eyebrow. "And how do we do that?" She asked.

"We go kill a hive or two, and then slowly crawl back home. Slow enough for them to follow, but not so slow that we get caught.

"It's risky." Elizabeth said.

"What isn't in this galaxy?" McKay chipped in. "We risk our lives every day. Some days more than others."

Just then Chuck came running into the conference room.

"What is it?" Elizabeth asked.

"We have contact. One hive. Right on the inside of sensor range. It seems to be just sitting there." Chuck said.

"Let's go find out what it's doing." Elizabeth said standing.

They all made their way into the control room and found that the ship was sitting right on the outskirts of sensor range. It wasn't moving at all.

"Think it's a trap?" McKay asked.

"Sure is." Sheppard said. "What else would it just be sitting there waiting for us to check it out?"

"Maybe it's scanning us." Arik said. "They used to do that before. They'd send out smaller crafts to scan the area. To see where we were structurally weak. Then they'd go back to the ship. Or perhaps, they've come to check out our defenses."

"It could be a number of things." Issa said. "We really just can't know."

"Should we check it out?" McKay asked the leaders.

"I'm not comfortable just yet. Let's wait and see what it does. Keep the sensors extended. Are the extra ones up and running?" Elizabeth asked.

"We're able to scan for everything. So far, no smaller craft. Nothing but the large ship. No transmissions. It's too far out for us to scan for life signs." Chuck stated.

"We could take a cloak-shielded jumper?" John suggested.

"What are they doing?" Elizabeth whispered, then turned to John. "I'll authorize that. Stay out of weapons range and for gods sake stay cloaked and shielded."

"Yes ma'am. Rodney, come with me. Issa, Arik, you stay here." Sheppard said.

"Sure thing." Issa said, then turned to Elizabeth. "I suggest that if it starts coming our way, we put out a transmission warning them that we are fully armed and ready to blow them out of the sky."

"Agreed." Elizabeth said.

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John's team was inside the jumper, staying outside of weapons range, and scanning the hive ship. There seemed to be no life signs aboard. It looked like everything was dead, including the ship. It had faded into a gray color, and looked to be peeling and shedding itself into space. There was a radio message from the hive that Rodney intercepted and translated. They booked it back to Atlantis as soon as he was done reading it.

"It seems that they're suffering from a plague." Rodney said. "It also seems to have been engineered."

"By whom?" Elizabeth asked looking over Rodney's translation. "Wow, they're warning all Wraith to stay away. I wonder if it will affect us?"

"It might be why their jumps have been so sporadic lately." Rodney said. "Their ship is half biological. If they didn't know what was wrong with their ship, it could have been malfunctioning and dying long before they know about it."

"I say we go blow it up." Issa said.

"Not without knowing how the virus is affecting the systems." Arik said. "It might spread from the heat of a nuclear reaction. We also don't know if this can spread to humans."

"Maybe we should try to contact Todd?" Sheppard suggested.

"How do we go about that?" McKay asked. "Wave a white flag at him?"

"No. There's a planet. . . it's a long story, but we agreed to leave messages there the last time we met. He said that we might have need of his expertise soon. Looks like he might be right." Sheppard said.

"Do you think he unleashed this?" Elizabeth asked. "Amongst his own kind?"

"He wanted the gene therapy." Teyla, who has been listening to the whole conversation without talking chimed in. "He didn't seem to want to stay the way he was. He wanted change for his people."

"But enough to commit genocide amongst his own kind?" Issa asked.

"That's a question we'll have to ask him if we can get a hold of him." Elizabeth said.

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Three days later, the Wraith ship that was dying had almost faded into dust, except for the shell of the ship, which looked like a very large skeleton. It was quite disturbing and they didn't know if the disease would affect the bones of the ship or not. They decided to just leave it out there until they figured out if it would go away on its own or not. They also got a reply message from the planet where Sheppard told them that they could contact Todd. It was short, and said that he would meet them at a planet of their choice, and to send the coordinates two Atlantian hours in advance of their meeting.

After getting the ok from Elizabeth, they decided to meet up with Todd to figure out if he knew what was going on. If he didn't engineer the plague or know about it, then they really had a huge problem. They gated through, and scoped out the area about five hours before they were scheduled to meet with Todd. After three hours, he came through the gate.

"I assumed that you would be here early." Todd said.

"And that we are." Sheppard replied.

"I had hoped that you would be." Todd said.

"Why is that?" Sheppard asked.

"Because they will be after you if you were actually here at the appointed time. I assume you are wanting information about the plague, yes?" Todd said smirking.

"We are." Issa said. "Did you create it?"

"I did." Todd said.

"Why?" Sheppard asked.

"There are those who do not believe that taking your gene therapy would be good for our species. Those of us who thought it would be beneficial decided to kill those who didn't agree with us. We infected their Queens. Our Queen's have immunity." Todd said proudly.

"That's genocide." Issa said.

"We are aware. We also believe that if we do not change, we will die out at your hands." Todd said.

"My hands?" Issa asked shocked.

"You are the one who took away the herds of humans from us. You came along and gave them more technology. We haven't been able to master anything past our own knowledge in thousands of years. We cannot thrive anymore. We are merely surviving. We do not wish to just _survive_ anymore. We want to _thrive_ again and we cannot do that as we are." Todd explained.

"I understand. So your people have all accepted the therapy?" McKay asked.

"My people did, before the incident where your Ancient was taken into custody." Todd said. "We all decided to vote. We would either accept the therapy or go to war against the humans of this galaxy. The vote was equally split, so I decided to take matters into my own hands after my own men had received the treatment. After they amassed a group of our enemies to attack Atlantis, we had planned to sabotage the meeting of the Queens, but you destroyed the planet before we could. Instead, we infected the remaining survivors so that when they went back to their hives, we could kill them. We made own side immune to the plague."

"Clever." Sheppard said.

"I thought so." Todd chuckled. "However, there are some who are surviving and are not infected. They are trying to make their way to your Atlantis. We are trying to get to them before they get to you."

"Why are you helping us?" Issa asked, still skeptical.

"What's in it for me?" Todd asked back.

"Exactly." Issa said.

"Not even we should live forever." Todd stated. "It's time for us to change. Our species will either die, or we have to find another way to survive. We who are left decided to survive. I've explained this already."

"But why help _us_?" Issa questioned again.

"I have become fond of you on Atlantis." Todd chuckled. "I'd request that if we take care of the rebels, that you will leave us all in peace to live where we choose."

"I'll talk it over with Elizabeth." Sheppard said.

"You must go now." Todd said. "They were monitoring our communications. They know that I am to meet you here and they will be planning on an ambush. This gives me opportunity to infect them. You must go now."

"Will this plague kill us?" Issa asked as Arik opened the wormhole.

"It should not affect the humans of this galaxy." Todd replied.

"What about the Ancients?" Issa asked, glancing at Arik.

"I highly doubt it." Todd said . "Now, go. I will be in touch."

The gate flourished into life and the team stepped through. Issa turned around at the last minute to watch Todd raise his hand and wave at her. She noticed that there was no slit in his hand and noted how odd that was to see.

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End Chapter 10

++TBC++

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	11. Chapter 11

First off, an apology from me. I've switched computers three times in the past year, I've lost this story twice, (after working on it and getting it finished. YES, FINISHED) my computer completely died and I lost it 100% gone. So needless to say, I was pissed about that, and I didn't want to write it up ***again***. However, I wasn't entirely happy with the way I ended it the first time, so I think I'll be re-writing it again. I'm sorry for the length of time between updates, I know some of you are really wanting to know what's going on and probably have thought that I gave up on this. I haven't. Honestly! I never give up on writing my stories! Sometimes there are just really big gaps between sections. I really shouldn't even bother publishing them until they are done! Argh! If you are still loyal, I want to say thanks, cuz that means you are awesome. Now on to Chapter 11, and hopefully I will be able to bang this out again.

Oh. Also chapter 10 has been edited to contain some new content as well. Not much, just some editing and a few sentences here and there. The other thing going on is that I'm showing more of the secondary characters in the next few chapters, and introducing a few new ones. Thanks!

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Chapter 11

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It seemed to be that everything Todd had said about the virus that he had created was turning out to be true. The Wraith were falling off the map. The SGC couldn't have been more pleased with the threat being eradicated, even if it wasn't by their hands. They weren't losing manpower, and the enemy was dying. Todd and his group of Wraith disappeared about two weeks later. Teyla said she was feeling less and less of the Wraith presence in general and along with scans and random hops with the jumpers, and scans were stating that the Wraith did indeed seem to be gone.

Todd and his group were the biggest mystery though. Some think that he is hiding with his people somewhere, but Sheppard's theory was that he just wanted to be left alone like he said. They knew that their people were going to die if they kept on that track. He wasn't sure that they had seen the last of them, but he was fairly certain that they wouldn't be coming back with malignant intent.

The expedition as a whole wasn't as positive thinking. Most thought that it was a trick. Some Wraith had sacrificed themselves to make it look like their entire species was dying. In the beginning, most were inclined to agree, but as time wore on and reports from all across the galaxy came back, it did look like Todd was telling them the truth.

In the meantime, Eric, McKay and Issa were working, regardless of the Wraith status, to make sure that all their technology was up to date. With the Wraith gone, who knew what else might pop up. There could be a worse threat out there somewhere. One never knew.

Atlantis had never shined greater that it did with the people of Earth on her. There were two weapons platforms in orbit around New Lantea, the mainland population was growing under the protection of another ZPM grid. Issa knew how to pull the Ori into their ZPM's now, so that threat was also getting slimmer. There was a call from the SGC about letting the Atlantis base take the Tiamat and stretch her legs and explore a bit. Maybe they could find something else to occupy their time with if they just looked out another galaxy over.

Elizabeth authorized a new exploratory mission and the Tiamat went underway without much fuss. Teyla and Ronon both wanted to stay behind in the city this time around. Teyla wanted to concentrate more on Torren and Ronon wanted to help train some of the new recruits. He was getting a big kick out of it. There was talk about sending him through SERE training, just to see how he would do.

They were starting to follow the trail that was left by the machine that Daniel had found. One thing humans did was push the boundaries of exploration. As the Ancients were the founders of the human race, that meant that they explored too. With the Tiamat, they were able to go a few galaxies over in a day or so. They had explored out two galaxies looking for a place where Todd and his friends might set up shop. A new beginning in a new galaxy for the Wraith. If they came back, they had a few uncharted worlds mapped out for them. Helping the Wraith set up a new home was something most people thought that Sheppard was nuts for. However, John looked at is as if the Wraith could get out of their galaxy and start anew without any background history of them being space vampires, it would be better for them and if humans knew the Wraith were gone, then all the better for everyone.

On their return from their trip they were at the edge of the Pegasus Galaxy. They decided to skirt around the edges and see what was out there on the outer rim planets. They dropped out of accelerated hyperspace and found a signal that Sheppard immediately recognized.

"I'm pretty sure we need to look in to that." He said.

"Why is that?" McKay asked.

"It's Todd's signal." Sheppard said.

"Todd? What would he be doing out here? Seems kind of random." McKay asked.

"I've learned a great many things from him. One of them is to never assume he is doing anything randomly." Sheppard said.

They found the planet that where the signal was coming from and achieved low orbit around it. Sheppard clicked his radio to a frequency that he had contacted Todd on in the past.

"Sheppard to Todd." He spoke.

"Ahh. Hello again Sheppard old friend." Todd said. "I figured you'd be coming back this way."

"How did you know we were out here at all?" Sheppard asked.

"I have my ways." Todd said. "I see that you have a new ship."

"She's been around." Sheppard said.

Todd chuckled over the radio. "Do not worry, I will not tell anyone. Come down to the coordinates below. I guarantee you that I am alone. You can scan your planet. There are no shields, and no other life signs here. I have something to show you."

The radio went to static and Sheppard looked at McKay. He was already scanning the planet.

"It looks clean." McKay said. "But who knows if he has something that is interfering with our scans. "

"Get together the team." Sheppard said. "He didn't specify who was allowed down."

"Right." McKay said.

Five minutes later, they beamed down to coordinates about a mile away from where Todd told them to land.

"Rodney?" Sheppard asked.

"Already on it." McKay said scanning the area. "It looks clean so far. Just one life sign, that a way." McKay pointed.

"We go as planned." Sheppard said. While he missed Ronon and Teyla on missions like this, it was also a good thing they weren't here right now. They never were comfortable with Todd. He wasn't either, but it could make things more awkward. He had grabbed SGA-4, which was on the ship with them when they left to explore. Three of their team spread out, surrounding the area where Todd's life sign was coming from. McKay, Sheppard and the newest recruit for SGA-4 Sally McKennish, were walking in a direct path to Todd.

"I never imagined this would be what I was doing." Sally said.

"Most of us didn't." McKay replied. "It's different when you're theorizing everything at a desk on Earth."

"No kidding." Sally said. "The readings of this planet are amazing. It's fully habitable here, yet there are no people."

"There's a lot of that out in this galaxy. We've figured that over ten thousand years of feeding, most of the Wraith have wiped out entire populations of people." Sheppard said.

"We find a lot of runes." McKay added. "A lot of societies that were once thriving civilizations are just gone. Vanished."

"How sad." Sally said.

"It's one of the reasons my people want change." Todd's voice spoke from behind them. "We realized that the human race was too intelligent to treat as though they were merely food."

"I hate when you do that." McKay said. "Don't we have people out there so you can't sneak up on us?"

"They are very good." Todd said. "I'm just better at sneaking than they are."

Sheppard laughed. "So what now?"

"I was wondering if you've had time to think over my proposal." Todd said. "About how if we were to get rid of the last of my kind that disagreed with my way of life, if you would help us find a new home."

"We're already searching for one. I think we have a few prospects." Sheppard said.

"Good. I think we shall get along after all." Todd said. "I wish to show you something. There are many of these on planets all across this galaxy. It's where we learned how to create our kind."

"Why are you showing us?" McKay asked.

"So you will know how to destroy them." Todd replied. "There cannot be any born to those who created them outside of my group."

"Why?" Sheppard asked.

"Because when we breed, we are born with the memories of our family." Todd said. "To be specific, the family that created us. All of the children to our lines have been born. Those still sleeping need to be destroyed. It is simple to do. We simply deny them life support. The egg pods will never hatch. We have cleaned up most of the hatcheries we know of. However, we do not know all of the locations. There will still be Wraith scattered across the galaxy for a while. They should be hunted down. Our species cannot be allowed to survive as it used to."

"Thanks." McKay said. "I mean, we get to clean up your mess."

"No." Todd said. "We intend to leave several crews behind to assist you. If you are willing to work together."

"I'm sure we can figure something out." Sheppard said.

Over the next hour or so, they talked about how to destroy the hatcheries. Todd showed them a star map of the most likely ones they hadn't taken care of yet and they agreed that they would work together. They gave Todd the list of planets in the next galaxy over that looked habitable. In the end, the whole day was rather bizarre.

They beamed up to the ship and McKay and Sheppard headed to the armory to take off their equipment.

"Can you believe we're actually working with the Wraith?" Rodney asked. "It seems so strange. Almost wrong."

"It's a brave new world Rodney." Sheppard said. He seemed happy.

"If it were only that." Rodney said. "It's amazing how we see so much change. Life altering things! And then back on Earth, they're still fighting over a scratch of land and if gay marriage should be allowed. We think so small most of the time. It's all so closed minded."

The locker room cleared out around them and Sheppard closed the door.

"Just how closed minded are you Rodney?" John asked.

Rodney snorted. "I'd think you of all people should know the answer to that Colonel." He said.

"Really?" Sheppard was right up behind him now, and Rodney jumped slightly. He didn't realize he was that close to him.

"Yeah." Rodney said taking a step forward. "I mean, you see how I interact every day."

"I do. Yes." John said taking a step towards him again. "And yet, I can't help but think that there must be something in your head that's preventing you from doing this."

"Doing what?" Rodney asked taking a step back towards the lockers confused.

It was all the incentive John needed. He closed the gap between them, grabbed Rodney by the jacket and kissed him.

"Christ, do I have to spell it out for you?" John questioned.

Rodney finally got the hint and kissed back. After gulping down some air, he spoke, "I didn't know. Ok. I knew. I didn't think it was reciprocated. I mean. Wow. Really?"

"Really. Now shut up." John said and kissed him to distraction.

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"So I noticed that Rodney was disabling the video logs in the locker room on the Tiamat while they were gone on their whole 'find the Wraith a new home' mission, and while we were here researching better ways to rotate the shield. So I dug further. Of course, I have backup programs in place in case someone tries to delete something for security purposes. Dad is smart but he didn't get to all of my programs. It automatically makes a copy and sends it to me when someone tampers with video feed or tries to delete something. Look at what I found." Issa said to Arik as they sat in her quarters watching the laptop and Issa played the video of John cornering Rodney and kissing him.

"Oh my god." Arik said. "It's about time."

"It continues but I had to stop it as I don't want to really think about my dad's doing it on the locker room floor." Issa said. "What's really amusing is watching the camera in the hallway while all this is going on inside of there. SGA-4 went on the same mission to the planet. They had already put their equipment away, and they met up with SGA-5 and wanted to do some war games. Well…"

"In order to do war games, you have to have equipment." Arik finished the thought.

"This is where it gets good." Issa said. She chuckled and hit play.

The two SGA teams were pounding on the locker room door. They were talking to each other, and finally they clicked their radios on. Issa tapped at the keyboard and two monitors came up. One of them had Sheppard and McKay scrambling, getting their clothes hastily back on and the other had the SGA teams pounding on the doors.

"What the heck did they say?" Arik asked.

"That's what I thought, so I tapped into the audio files of the radio chatter." Issa said smirking. "Here we go."

A voice came through the speakers. "Sir? What's going on. The door seems to be locked." Issa smiled as Sheppard buttoned his shirt and tapped his radio in his ear. "It is." He said. "McKay and I are trapped in here. He's working on the locks right now." The SGA teams outside the bunker looked at each other. Cadman was amongst them. She raised an eyebrow. "Let me know if you need me to blow anything up." Rodney hastily put in his radio and was also putting on his shoes. "No. That's ok. I've almost got it." He said. He looked down and realized his socks weren't on his feet. He stuffed his socks in his pockets and he looked at John to make sure he was dressed. They walked out of the locker room together and the SGA teams quietly let them pass. As soon as they left, Cadman burst out laughing. "What's so funny?" someone asked her. "McKay wasn't wearing socks." She said between breaths.

The video file went dark and Arik and Issa laughed together.

"They're so helpless." Issa said. "it's sweet."

"I can't believe Cadman noticed." Arik said.

"She was in Rodney's head for a while. Literally. Wraith beaming tech gone bad. Two minds one body. She knows more about him than anyone on this base should." Issa said. She flopped on the couch in her quarters. Arik sat down more gracefully.

"I'm glad for them. I hope it won't cause any trouble." Arik said. "I know your world is not so serene on such matters."

"Yeah." Issa said frowning. "The military is a bitch. Even with DADT appealed now, it's still going to be hard on soldiers that are openly gay."

"I think it will work out." Arik said. "They're here most of the time after all, and here is home. We aren't as judgmental."

"No. We aren't." Issa said. She curled up next to him and snuggled on the couch. "I think we're making a trip to Earth soon."

"Really?" Arik asked.

"Yeah. Rodney said he has some leave time coming up and we've been talking about me meeting the family." Issa said.

"Do you think we can be separated that long?" Arik asked.

"I don't want to be. I was hoping you'd come with us." Issa said.

"Oh." Arik said. "I'd like that." He leaned over her and kissed her gently. "I'd like that very much."

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End Chapter 11

++TBC++

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	12. Chapter 12

Invasion of the Sheppard's! Yay! We meet John's family (which is tweaked slightly to fit my world). Enjoy!

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Chapter 12

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After gating back to Earth and doing physicals to get the ok to mingle amongst the Earth's population, John, Rodney, Arik and Issa were finally on their way to Vancouver to meet with Jeannie, Kaleb and Madison. They were going to take a commercial flight, but Sheppard just snorted at them and plucked out a cell phone which he talked in hushed tones for about ten minutes and then proclaimed that they would be flying via a private jet instead.

"Did I ever mention that my father owns Sheppard Inc?" He asked.

"You forgot to mention that." Rodney said.

"Well. Yeah. We Sheppard's don't do commercial." He said grinning. They waited for about an hour on base before John's phone rang again.

"What is Sheppard Inc?" Issa asked Rodney.

"Only the biggest military/civilian contracted business on Earth. They manufacture just about everything for the military from BDU's to weapons and they research half of our development for 'theoretical' spacecraft." McKay said.

"Oh. Big deal then. My daddy is a billionaire." Issa said grinning at John when he came back to the table. He cringed.

"Well, I'M not, but my brother is." John said. "I'm only a millionaire. My brother David got most of it when dad died. The rest of us just got a few million. But we have the perks of the family name."

"This is a lot of money?" Arik asked. He had watched the "Welcome to Planet Earth!" video that the SGC had made for 'aliens that got introduced to the populace of Earth', but it was lacking in several areas.

"It's A LOT of money." Issa said and John blushed.

"Not compared to some people." McKay said. "But yeah. In general, it's a lot. Sheppard Inc. is one of the biggest names in the world. They don't just supply the US, but that is their biggest contract."

Arik nodded his understanding and Sheppard cleared his throat. "The plane is here." He said.

"Let's go see it." Issa said. "I'm sure it'll be way more efficient than flying commercial, which I have never really liked."

"Do you have it set up so we get a rental car in Vancouver?" Rodney asked.

"We're actually going to see my family first. I contacted Jeannie about an hour ago and she requested that we delay a few days." John said. "She said she'd explain when we got there."

"Oh." Rodney said with a confused look on his face. "Well. That's fine then. So where is your family?"

"Dave is in Texas right now, my sister Lacey is joining him there and if General O'Neill pulled the right strings, my baby brother Gideon will be joining us too." John said

"I didn't know you had that much family." Rodney said.

"Yeah." John said softly. "Dad was a real jerk sometimes, but since he's died, we've kinda come back together. It almost makes going to Atlantis hard. I wish I could tell them all what I've been up to, but I think they would freak out a bit."

"They really would." Issa said. "I mean, it freaked me out a bit when I learned of it and you know how weird my childhood was."

John laughed. "I have no idea how to explain you." He said throwing his arm around Issa.

"It's ok dad. We'll figure it out." Issa said and gave him back a one armed hug.

"Yeah." John said. "Maybe I can do what I did with Ronon and just say that you're all part of my team."

They all groaned and laughed.

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Texas was a dry, hot place in the middle of Earth's summer season. They had rented a big SUV but the air conditioning broke about fifty miles down the road.

"Oh good god. I forgot what life without climate control is like." Issa said.

"No kidding." Rodney said. "This is ridiculous."

"It is indeed uncomfortable." Arik said.

"Stop complaining." Sheppard said. "It's just a little heat and humidity. We'll be fine."

"A little." Rodney said. "I feel microwaved."

"At least you aren't busting out the sunblock." John chuckled.

"It's already on." Rodney stated with a look at John that could murder.

I'm sure the house has air conditioning." John said. "I doubt Dave could live here and not."

"That's not a house dad, it's a mansion." Issa said.

"Holy crap." Rodney said. Arik laughed.

"You." John pointed at Issa, "need to stop calling me dad, "and you," he pointed at Arik, "What's funny about my family home?" John asked.

"It's as big as a city." Arik said.

John snorted and shrugged his shoulders. "He's right."

They pulled into the driveway and John pulled into a circle that was out front of the house. A man appeared and John smiled and turned off the car and jumped out the door.

"Matt!" John said hugging the guy. "How's Patricia?"

"She's good John." Matt said. "I'll take the car around to the garage."

"Thank you. It's good to see you again." John said.

"You as well sir." Matt said.

"Who is that?" Issa asked as Matt drove the car off down the driveway.

"Matt. He's been working here ever since I can remember." John said. "C'mon, let's go inside."

They entered the house and John laughed. His voice echoed all around the walls. "Hey Dave!" he yelled.

"You don't need to yell." Dave said. "I know the sound of your laughter anywhere."

"It's good to be home again." John said smiling. "Last time was so tense, I forgot how much I like the Texas house."

"Me too. I've changed a few things, but left most of it the same." Dave said. They embraced in a crushing hug. "Your room is still your room. I've places done up for your guests." Dave said when they parted.

"Awesome." John said. "Dave, these are my associates. This is Rodney McKay, who you've heard all about."

"Nice to finally meet you. John's told us a lot about you." Dave said shaking Rodney's hand.

"This is Arik, and Issa. Umm." John said lamely. They hadn't discussed how to introduce her and now John faltered.

"Issa O'Neill." Issa said.

"It's nice to meet you two as well." Dave said shaking their hands.

"Thank you. Your very large home is lovely." Arik said.

"I'll take you for the grand tour later." John said.

"I take it your associates are well versed in the classified government project that you're working on?" Dave asked.

"They are." John said through narrowed eyes. "I didn't know you were versed in it."

"I just got debriefed by General O'Neill this morning." Dave said. "After signing the largest confidentiality agreement on the planet, I saw video and read reports that make my eyes cross and made me want to kick your ass for not telling me what you were doing."

"I wanted to." John said. "I just couldn't."

"Trust me, that's the only thing that's keeping me from doing it." Dave said.

"So you know?" John said. "About all of it?"

"Yup. Atlantis John! Jesus." Dave said exasperated. "Lacey is going to be beside herself."

"Lacey can't know." John said. "Neither can Gideon."

"Gideon is already being transferred to the SGC and Lacey coming here is under General O'Neill. Apparently we make things light up like a Christmas tree. We're all to be given some kind of job on the mountain or in Atlantis. I'm pretty sure Gid is going back there with you." Dave said.

"Wow." Issa said grinning. "Can we tell him _John_?" Issa was practically bouncing.

"Let's go in the library. It's more comfortable and there's whisky." John said.

"Oh. It's one of those discussions." Dave said, his eyes crinkling with laughter. "C'mon then."

Arik decided instead to go up to his room and settle in, and Dave just raised an eyebrow in a very Sheppard like manner that Issa decided was probably genetic. She could do it too after all.

"It's more of a family matter." John said.

"It does involve me though." Rodney said pouring himself some alcohol.

"Ah." Dave said.

"You're going to need it." McKay said smiling.

Dave accepted the glass McKay offered and sat down in a very large lounge chair. Issa took the one across from it and John paced. Rodney leaned against the impressive fireplace in the room.

"There's a lot of labs on Atlantis." John started. We don't always know what's what there. The Ancients were geniuses when it came to technology." John started and sipped his whisky. "There was a day when Rodney and I went exploring. We were checking out some labs for the scientists in the bottom level of the city. There's one place down there that has several of these oblong egg shaped machines. We weren't really sure what they were for. Rodney was scanning them and I picked one up. He had me hold it while he scanned, then he picked it up and did a visual exam on it. Somewhere in that time frame, the device extracted our DNA."

Dave prided himself on being a sharp man. He took a gulp of the whisky and set his glass on the table.

"Are you telling me…" Dave started.

"Yup." McKay said. "She's you're niece."

"But how is she a young woman? This can't have happened long ago?" Dave asked.

"I had some kind of accelerated growth period." Issa took over and Sheppard looked relieved. He sat down on a couch and Rodney joined him. "Have you read up on the Ori and the Ancients?"

"A little. But to be honest, most of it I just skimmed through. I haven't had much time to read it all." Dave answered.

"There's a lot there." Issa stated agreeing. "I'll give you the condensed version. The Ancients were superior to us in many ways. They're our ancestors. Your family seems to have the gene, in spades. It works well, which means that likely one of your great grandparents was an ancient. They came back here and there throughout our history. At any rate, when they died, they liked to do this thing called ascension. It's the Ancient version on Heaven on what we can gather. The device that created me from their DNA pulled me from Ancient heaven and put me in a body here. I was essentially sent here to help fight the Ori, which are like the Ancient's enemies on a heavenly plane. They're the bad guys on Ascension."

"I'm following." Dave said.

"When I got here, I was a baby and General O'Neill and Colonel Carter were my parents. They volunteered to raise me. I grew really swiftly. We figure now that it was just so that I could get to the point where I could access all the information I needed. I stopped aging so fast and have leveled out now. There are a few complications other than that, but those are the basics." Issa said.

"And by a few complications, she means me." Arik said walking into the room.

Issa laughed. "That's part of it, but not all of it. We'll get you caught up eventually. Uncle." She said smirking at Dave.

"That's really weird. She's like a mini John." Dave said.

"With a twist of McKay." Issa said. Arik sat down next to her.

"So I'm an uncle, huh?" Dave said. "I'll go with it." He grinned.

"I can't wait to see the look on Lacey and Gideon's faces." John said grinning ear to ear.

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"I can't believe this." Lacey said pacing the room. She was a very small woman. She stood about 5'4" and she had bright green eyes and dark blond hair that she had cropped in a cute pixie style. She looked like a very angry tinkerbell. "You've been gallivanting across the _galaxy_ with perfect strangers while your family is worried about you and now that you're finally back on Earth, we only find out about it because we have amazing DNA and they want us to be light switches in your super amazing city?" She poked John in the chest with her finger.

"I'm sorry Lace. I know it's hard to get it all under grips right away." John said.

"No. Understanding it was when you told dad you were gay. This is different." Lacey said. "This is you risking your life daily. You almost DIED in a JUMPER by SPACE VAMPIRES because you wanted to be NOBLE and took a BOMB into their ship. You don't get to tell me it's HARD." She panted. "Ok. Ok. I'm calm."

"It's almost like watching McKay." Issa said to Arik in awe. "It's disturbing."

"And you!" She turned on Issa. "You look just like my idiot brother but female and with his eyes." She pointed at Rodney. "I can't believe I have a niece and I _missed_ it."

"It's ok. I'll call you Auntie." Issa said.

Lacey grimaced. "That's so not funny."

John laughed. "I can't wait for Gideon to find out. We should have done this all at once."

"Ugh. Then you'd just have us all going off on you." Lacey said. "And in all fairness, I'm sure Dave went ballistic too. He just had more time to prepare."

"I did. When I heard that you almost died and that the Daedalus saved you. I mean, that ship. It was supposed to be hypothetical. We designed it." Dave said. "I'm glad we did now."

"Me too." John said. "McKay and Carter were really the ones that turned it from your drawing board to reality."

"We didn't have to tweak much. Just the engine room really. The engines you had in it were laughable." McKay said.

"We'll do better if we have access to certain tech." Dave said.

"Take it up with O'Neill. I'm sure he'll be pulling people from your company. Either that, or he'll make everyone in Sheppard Inc. sign a contract before they can work on things for us." McKay said. "It gets complicated when you bring in civilian contractors."

"I can imagine." Dave said.

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"You suck. In the history of all brothers, you suck the most." Gideon said. "I mean, we're both Air Force. You think you'd have let me in?"

"I really have no say in the election process." John said. "I didn't even know you had the gene. Any of you."

"You would have thought that O'Neill would have had you all tested for it when he found that yours was so strong." McKay said.

"He went to dad with it." Dave spoke in. "He said he didn't want anything to do with it."

"What?" John exclaimed. "Why not?"

"You know how dad felt about you John." Dave said. "Near the end of his life was the only time he could admit that he made a mistake about disowning you. He fixed the will that way, but before that, he told O'Neill that he was only interested in the blueprints, not the "ins and outs" of the government. He wanted nothing to do with it. He wouldn't even read the confidentially agreement when it was offered. O'Neill was surprised I would. He said he'd have done it earlier if he realized just how different I was from our father."

"You know. I knew dad was a prick sometimes, but damn." Gideon said.

"Gid." John scolded.

"It's true John." Lacey said. "We tried to get in touch with you after you and dad had that blowout, but we weren't able to. Dad kept your records hidden in the office safe and then when I was finally old enough to petition the government myself, they told me it was all classified. I could write you an e-mail but that was it."

McKay snorted. "I don't think he's checked his e-mail more than twice since we landed in Pegasus."

"It seemed pointless. Dad told me to leave you all alone. That he wouldn't have me corrupting you."

"Really John. We're your siblings. You'd think you would have given us more credit than that." Dave said and John blushed out of shame. "All things aside, we're together now and that's what counts."

"That's right. So when do we go to Atlantis?" Lacey asked.

"Gideon and John are going out there. You have to finish college first." David said.

"We've got a program set in place so that some studies can be done with us, and internships done in Atlantis. What's your major?" McKay asked.

"I'm currently in my fifth year of medical residency." Lacey said. "I've spent the last year specializing in Emergency care."

"Oh. You'll continue it with us." McKay said. "She is coming right?"

"Yeah. She can come." John said. "As long as O'Neill approves it. There's about seven slots for doctors and I know Jennifer and Carson have only about four candidates they wanted us to look at."

"I'll send the General an e-mail." McKay said.

"I like your boyfriend." Lacey said to John and McKay almost choked on the popcorn he was eating.

"We're not…" McKay started and John just rolled his eyes. "Well. We're not. Officially."

"I'm not talking about this here Rodney." John said then turned to Lacey. "You need to mind your own business." He said to his little sister.

"Oh please." Issa said interrupting. "We've known it on the city for _months_. You two just figured it out finally."

The look on John and Rodney's faces were priceless.

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"So how old are your siblings?" Issa asked. "Lacey and Gideon seem a lot younger." John and Issa were aboard the private leerjet flying into Canada. It had been a few days and they were now on their way to see Rodney's family. John was teaching Issa how to fly it. The actual pilot and copilot were in the back of the jet with Lacey, Gideon, Rodney and Arik. Lacey and Gideon came along to make the trip back to Atlantis easier. If they were all in one place, it was easier for everyone.

"They're both late in life kids for my mom and dad." John said. "Dad didn't want to have any more kids and mom did. She won the argument. After Lacey was born though things got really rough. Mom ended up raising Lacey and Gid pretty much on her own. Dad wasn't around a lot at that point. Though we were all in the same house. There's a 13 year old gap between Dave and Lacey. I'm only two years behind Dave at 40. Gideon is only 32 and Lacey is 29."

"Wow." Issa said. "I can't imagine being that far apart from siblings. Though I guess I have nothing to compare it to. I mean, even if I had a sibling now, I'd be 21, even though I'm 5." She laughed.

"There's nothing normal about that at all." John said chuckling. He hit the com switch to the cabin and spoke, "We'll be entering Canada in about ten minutes. Please gather your belongings if you leaving the plane. Thanks."

"We don't have to worry about passports do we?" Issa asked.

"It's already been handled." John said. "McKay had yours printed a while ago. Arik has one too, though he said he was likely going to stay here with Gid and Lace."

"I know. Our connection seems to be fine when we're separated now. As long as we're maintaining contact on a fairly regular basis." Issa said.

"That's good. I would hate for you to miss out because of it." John said.

"Nah. Arik said his parents were apart for days at a time, and then they were able to connect again for a few days and then be apart again for weeks. He said it gets stronger the longer we're connected. So far, he's right." Issa said.

"Well, you just let us know if you're having any problems." John said. "The Daedalus is in orbit right now, so they can always beam you both together if need be."

"Yeah." Issa said. "Always good to have a backup plan."

John began the descent and Issa helped him land the plane. Once they were on the ground, she was grinning like a lunatic.

"If there was any question about you being my kid before they're resolved now. I had that same look after I made my first landing in an aircraft." John said.

"This is all very sweet, but we're landed and I want coffee." McKay said.

"Oh c'mon. I can get on board with coffee too." Issa said.

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Rodney, John and Issa stood on the front porch of Jeannie's cute little house. Rodney sighed and rang the doorbell.

"Hey guys." Jeannie said when she opened the door.

"Hey Jean." Rodney said, then hugged his sister.

"Jeannie." John said.

"Hey hon." Jeannie gave him a hug too, which is when she spotted Issa, who was hanging back on the porch.

"Who did you bring with you?" Jeannie asked.

"This is Issa." Rodney said.

"Nice to meet you." Jeannie said holding her hand out.

"Same goes." Issa said shaking her hand.

"Come on inside. Maddy's at ballet practice." Jeannie said.

"Oh good. Then I won't lose these two to distracting the kiddo when I tell you all about what happened." Rodney said.

"What happened Mer?" Jeannie asked.

"Umm. It was an accident." Rodney said. "But one that no one was hurt." He hastily added when he saw the look on his sisters face.

"That's good. You didn't blow up another star system, did you?" Jeannie asked.

Before she caught herself, Issa gasped and said, "You blew up a star system dad?"

She realized her mistake a second too late and Jeannie's eyes went wide.

"Did she just call you dad?" Jeannie asked.

"Um….." Rodney stammered.

"MEREDITH!" Jeannie asked. "When did this happen?"

"A few years ago." Rodney said.

"Looks longer than a few years ago. Who's the mother?" Jeannie asked.

"Umm. That would be me." John said.

"Wait. What? This is some sort of ancient experiment gone wrong, isn't it?" Jeannie said sitting down sighing. "Ok. Fill me in."

"At least we don't have to explain the entire program to her like we did your family." Issa said.

"A few years ago…" Rodney started.

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"I can't believe you didn't tell me right away. I've got the clearance. I'm an Aunt!" Jeannie said excitedly as they sat around the coffee table in the kitchen.

"Yeah yeah. Super excited. Yay!" Rodney said. "Now tell me about what's going on with you Jeannie. You look like you've been up all night."

"I have." Jeannie said. "I think we should have time to talk about it before John and Issa get back with Maddy. She's going to be so excited to see you guys."

"I can't wait to see her. She's grown so much from the pictures you've sent." Rodney said. "So what's up?"

Jeannie took a sip of her coffee and stood up and leaned against the sink. Looking outside, she started to talk. "Kaleb and I have been arguing a lot. Not the petty stuff. The big stuff. He wants to have more kids, I don't. He wants me to stay at home and I want to go back to school. We talked about it and I told him that once Maddy was in school full time this year, she's in first grade now, that I would go back and teach a course at the local college. I know it's not what you think I should be doing, but I know I could help scan productive young minds for the SGC. Kaleb initially agreed, though he sulked about it. About two weeks ago, he told me he wanted a divorce if I couldn't just stay at home and do what he wanted. I told him he was being archaic and as living in the stone ages. Women hardly sit at home and be good little wives anymore. He took off and has been living at his mom's house since. We decided yesterday to get a divorce."

"I'm so sorry." Rodney said.

"Thanks Mer." Jeannie said. "What shocked me the most is that he didn't even argue about Maddy. He said I could have her. It's put me on edge ever since. Why wouldn't he fight for her? He's been an amazing father, no matter our failings as a couple. I thought I'd have to fight for partial custody and he's just 'Here, take her.'"

Rodney stiffened. "He knows her schedule right?"

"Yeah. He's usually the one who picks her up from class. Speaking of, I should really call her and let her know John is coming." Jeannie said picking up the cordless phone and dialing it.

Rodney listened with a growing sense of dread. Jeannie almost dropped the phone. Rodney reached into his pocket and pulled out his cell, dialing a number, but not pressing send just yet.

"She's gone? Oh. Um. With her father. Thank you." Jeannie said hanging up.

"I'll call John and tell him to go to Kaleb's." Jeannie said, then sighed. "He'll throw a fit, but if he knows you're in town, it'll be fine. I'll call Kaleb first and let him know."

"Mmm." Rodney said.

"Kaleb?" Jeannie asked. "It's me Jean. I called dance class and they said you picked up Madison already. Yeah. Well, my brother is in town and John is going to come and get Maddy. What do you mean no?"

Rodney hit send.

"No. It's not ok. What are you talking about?" Jeannie asked, her voice going hysterical. "Where is my daughter? I'm coming to get her right now. Yes. I am. Go to hell Kaleb."

"This is Dr. McKay. Can I please speak to Sam Carter. Yes. I'll hold." Rodney said.

"What are you doing Mer?" Jeannie asked. She looked on the verge of tears, but they were pissed off tears. Rodney held up a finger.

"Sam. It's Rodney. Do you remember when we had Jeannie visit the mountain with Madison?" Rodney asked. "Did protocol 42 get put in place? Yes? Good. I need to activate it. Can you put me direct with Caldwell and the Daedalus? Thanks." He looked up at Jeannie. "I'm on hold. Don't get hysterical. Remember when you visited and we had the locator chips put in you and Maddy?"

"Yeah." Jeannie said sitting down and taking a deep breath. "Yeah. It'll be ok. Thank you Mer. I'm going to call John and let him know to come home." She dialed and talked to John while Rodney got ahold of Caldwell.

"Stephen." Rodney said. "I need a favor. It seems my niece's father has essentially kidnapped her. I need to…yup. 42. Thanks. Just beam her to my location. Jeannie says thank you. Oh yeah. That would be great."

"Thank you Rodney." Jeannie said.

"You're welcome. About two minutes. They have to make sure there's no life signs other than them in the room. Gather yourself, because Maddy is going to freak." Rodney said.

A flash of light hit the room and Madison was standing there, looking ready to take a bite out of something.

"Uncle Mer!" She said seeing Rodney. "I knew it. I saw the pretty light."

"Hey Maddy." Rodney said. "Your dad was naughty."

"He said mom was a b-i-t-c-h and that I couldn't live with her anymore. I told him I'd bite him if he didn't take me back home." Maddy said. "I almost did too." She frowned. "Hi mommy!" she skipped over to Jeannie and kissed her. "I'm glad Uncle Mer is here. Can we go play?"

"In a minute kiddo. Why don't you go upstairs and change from your dance clothes to your everyday clothes. Then maybe we can go to the park?" Rodney asked.

"Yay! The park!" Maddy said.

"Is that a good idea?" Jeannie asked. "I mean, I feel like I should lock the doors and keep her inside. School is going to be a nightmare. I never thought he'd kidnap her!" Jeannie said.

"You've nothing to worry about sis." Rodney said. "When Caldwell beamed her here, he also beamed Kaleb into the brig on the Daedalus. I'm sure he's freaking out right about now. We can put him anywhere and no one has to know."

"I love you Mer." Jeannie said hugging her brother.

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When General O'Neill heard of what happened with Madison, he offered Jeannie a ticket to Atlantis. Madison had long since gone to bed and the adults were talking about it.

"I just don't know if Maddy can handle being on an alien world." Jeannie said.

"I understand. There are some kids out there already. The SGC had a major cow when one of the officers brought out her nine year old niece, but they worked out the kinks. I'm all the family you have left now and you're almost as smart as me. If they want to keep me happy, and they do, they'll not balk about the fact that you come with a kid." Rodney said defiantly.

"As much as I hate to agree to his bragging and enlarge his ego," Sheppard said pointing at Rodney, "He's right. He's got a lot of weight to throw around with the SGC and IOA. And the General already said you're in if you want it. He's got final say."

"I do have a lot of weight to throw around." Rodney said. "And I want you and Maddy in Atlantis with me. It's safer there than here, even with the Wraith, and they're not even that much of a threat anymore."

"I even have more bargaining room than Rodney." Issa said coming into the room, she had just been checking on Maddy. "If they want me there, and believe me when I tell you that they do, they'll let my Aunt and cousin come out there."

Jeannie's eyes were tearing up. "You guys." She said. "It's just a lot to take in."

"It is." Issa said. "Which is why we're going to let you take a few days to think about it. The Daedalus called while I was upstairs. They asked if we minded the long way home, as there's a lot of gate activity at the SGC right now. I told them no, because I know Rodney, Arik and I want to look into planetary shielding on some other places between here and Pegasus. You can come with us then if you want. It's scheduled to leave in three days."

"I'll get you my decision in 24 hours." Jeannie said.

"Ok." John said with a smile. "Now we'll drop it and just be a family for the next three days."

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Twenty-five hours later, Jeannie was on the Daedalus with Lacey, Gideon and Arik. She had decided that there was no way she could stay on Earth with the possibility of Atlantis being within her grasp. She had to go with them. They had already gathered all their stuff and beamed it aboard the Daedalus.

Once they were beamed up, O'Neill had beamed Kaleb down into the SGC with an extensive divorce contract that stated he terminated his rights as a father and husband. He tried to get Jeannie to agree to make him paying child support, but she wouldn't have it. She just wanted him to relinquish all parental control over Maddy. In the end, Kaleb signed it, though O'Neill said he threatened to find her. Jack said she had nothing to worry about, as he was now blacklisted throughout the SGC. Which meant that even if he went digging, they have people to make sure he'd get nowhere.

Madison was roaming the ship when she ran into Colonel Caldwell. Everyone thought he'd be upset about having a kid on board for the three week trip, but he has taken to Maddy like a bear takes to honey. He even allowed her to sit on his lap and help fly the ship when she asked. Everyone was stunned.

"This ship is soooo cool. It just sucks that I can't tell anyone at home about it. Though they are all stupid and wouldn't even understand how it works anyway." Maddy said.

"Madison." Jeannie warned.

"Well, they are." Maddy said in such a Rodney-ish way that Issa had to laugh.

"It's not a nice thing to say." Jeannie scolded. "Go find your Uncle and pester him."

"Ohhh. I bet he's in the lab. I'm going to get a peanut butter sammich and eat it in there." She laughed wickedly and skipped down to the mess hall.

"She's evil." Issa said. "But it's beautiful."

"I know." Jeannie said.

"Want to come with me and watch Arik and Rodney try to figure out the shielding improvements I made?" Issa said.

"Seems to me that evil runs in the family." Jeannie said wrapping her arm around Issa and laughing as they walked to the labs.

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End Chapter 12

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